


Takotsubo - Octopus Pot

by lumienarc



Category: 2PM (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anti-Social!Khun, Bullying, Drama & Romance, Dysfunctional Family, Freeform, Inspired by a Movie, Jay is here mostly because he is American, Khun is waiting forever to punch Jun K but can't because Jun K is too precious, M/M, Taec is always OkBingu whenever wherever, Troublemaker!Khun, What Was I Thinking?, You might want to punch Khun's brother but Khun will do it for you instead, and he still has a crew, gangster! Taec, taeckhun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-26
Updated: 2016-11-09
Packaged: 2018-07-26 23:08:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 18
Words: 58,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7594027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lumienarc/pseuds/lumienarc
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Khun is a typical teenager in his rebellious phase. Left by his parents to live alone in poverty with his selfish big brother, Khun is struggling to care less about all people, but one person. This person is his biggest crush to date: his big brother’s boss who is twelve years older than him; a man whose sole appearance screams danger. That man’s gravity must be a trap, but… Nichkhun can't help it. He feels comfortable...</p><p>This is the story of an octopus sleeping in an earthen pot left on the sea floor, not knowing that it will be harvested at the first light of dawn and soon meet its demise.</p><p> </p><p>Inspired by the film "Fish Tank" (2009).<br/>Cross-published at AFF under the username of lumienarc</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Problematic Brothers

**Author's Note:**

> Hello and greetings!  
> This story is actually very grim with abundant amount of stupid jokes, courtesy of Moi.  
> Disclaimer: I don't own 2PM, Khun, Taec, Minjun, or their former leader Jay, or even Khun's big brother.  
> Also, some of the scenes (in future chapters) are taken from the film “Fish Tank”. I kind of messed up the beauty of the original, but I regretted nothing! I just want to see a comforting ending, especially regarding the romance.  
> Oh... What did I do… I make Nichkhun, who was made of family, friendship, and kindness, to reject all those? I am a sinner!

Summer holiday.

If it wasn’t for the nonexistent classes, Nichkhun would hate it wholeheartedly. Their apartment was dirty as usual—surprise, surprise. His bedroom was in disarray. Clothes were carelessly thrown into a hamper at the corner, some on the floor, and some on the bed. The room was damp and humid. They were lucky to even own a working fan. He walked out of the room, finding his brother was still sleeping messily handsome on the couch in their living room, TV was still on. This was what happened when two brothers lived on their own, as poor as students could be.

Nichkhun was still fifteen and he did not listen to anyone around here, not even adults. He became like this since his parents decided to ditch him and his brother two years ago, leaving them for a better life (without their problematic sons) in their hometown in Thailand—all sunshine and rainbow and pretty daughters. They said Nichkhun’s grandmother needed them and the two brothers could manage on their own, so they did not even say goodbye and leave them with a note stuck to an envelope of bucks in their supposedly grandeur mansion in California.

Khun’s brother spent every bit of money to gamble their way up, but in the end it caused them to be satisfied with an old apartment room in Boston. Their parents did not openly disown them, but they were no longer on the top of their priority list. Live as you will, they might have said behind the brothers’ backs. They still sent money and such, but it was not enough to heal Nichkhun’s scarred teenager heart. He hated his parents for ditching him while mainly the problem was his big brother, and he hated his brother for causing all this mess. He was, as they said, still in rebellious age.

He walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. He huffed as he found that there had not been any new addition in there despite his brother had come back from work. He always hoped every time he opened the fridge, food would magically appear there. He turned away and searched the counters. Seriously, what could he eat? There was nothing but seasonings in there! Not even real seasoning, just salt, pepper, and some instant powder sachets they got when nearby market held a big discount sale three months ago.

He glared at his sleeping brother. That person had a job and had money (as little as it might be, it was still money!), but he was too _generous_ that he spent every penny to pamper his lady of the month. Curse his brother’s crazily good look! He picked girls up just like picking up new shirt. Nichkhun could not do that, mostly because he was so fucking poor. He could only dream of pocket money. Part-time jobs were not even a choice because Nichkhun was simply… allergic to people. Especially adults. Teens and young adults irritated him, too, but most of times, adults—fully grown adults. They thought they were wiser and powerful and such, but for Nichkhun, it was all bullshit.

Then, suddenly the receiver buzzed. Nichkhun lazily went to answer.

“Who’s that?”

“ _Hey, this Taec. Is your brother there? I need to see him_ ,” a husky male voice answered. Nichkhun widened his eyes. He panicked inwardly.

Out of everyone his brother associated himself with, why must this person come? Not to mention: today! When everything was so messed up! Out of all the people, really! He glared at his sleeping big brother once again, mentally punching him squarely on his handsome face.

This was his brother’s boss—big boss now that everyone said he would be soon on the seat instead of behind it. Apparently, after managing to lose every penny of what they were left with by their parents, his brother had to beg for help. It was the generosity of Ok Taecyeon, heir of Ok Group’s leader, who saved him from hunted down to death.

He had since worked for the group to pay off his debt, which was said to be completed in two years. Since his brother was assigned to do most of the menial work—and he received small amount of wage to accommodate both of them—he instead was expected to fully pay it in four years. By the look of it, however, Nichkhun did not believe that his brother would make it. Khun knew best about it. His brother loved his current job and he was satisfied with it. Actually, he might not want to pay off his debt and let it stall. Well, he actually asked Khun, his _little brother by four years_ , to sell his body (or a kidney, everyone knows it sells quickly when one is in need of instant bulk of money) before he met Ok Taecyeon and then was saved.

Khun knew this man—everyone did. He did not fear anything, but facing this man made him squirm. The door was still closed and the elevator hadn’t moved. The intercom was buzzing lightly. Khun wished they didn’t live in an apartment building.

“ _Hey, you there?_ ”

“Y—Yeah! Please come right up!”

Nichkhun pressed the button, and then he sprinted to living room. He shook his brother awake and told him who was coming. Nichan woke up as if electrocuted. He panicked, too. He ran to nearby sink and washed up. Nichkhun went to hide in his room.

“Hey—hey, Boss! Didn’t know you were coming over,” Nichkhun heard his brother’s faltering attempt to greet the guest as he let him in.

“I called you, like, a hundred times—you didn’t pick up!”

The answer was closely followed by roaring laugh. Nichkhun peeked through his slightly open door. He could not help it—he was gay and his brother’s boss was exactly his type. The first time he saw him was when Nichan failed to show up at work because he had to go to Nichkhun’s school since Khun had got into some sort of trouble (Khun did not acknowledge that as trouble) and the boss suddenly dropped by the principal office as if he owned the place—well, he sort of did. Nichkhun saw him and almost dropped his eyes off the sockets—Nichkhun always preferred older men anyway, but not his big brother.

The man was a tall Korean man, well-muscled, well-tanned, and uniquely handsome. He also had pearl-white big teeth, a pair of dimples that were hard to pinpoint with no fat in his cheeks and a pair of big mouse-ears. But Nichkhun wasn’t that shallow. His type included the personality. This man was very caring and most importantly, fun to have around, the responsible but knows how to party kind.

“Didn’t I tell you to clean up? This place resembles a sunken ship! Do I have to use my own hands to do it for you?”

The Boss had launched the first attack. Nichkhun spied him as he walked about the living room, pulling blanket Nichan used just a moment ago and throwing it at Nichan while shaking his head with a rather cute expression. Nichan tailed him with a kicked puppy face.

“Ah, _Hyungnim_! I’m sorry about this. I didn’t have time.”

“Where’s Khun? He’s the one who answered, but how come I can’t see him now?” The Boss effectively ignored Nichan and began observing the flat through his spectacles.

“He has gone back to his bedroom,” Nichan replied, quickly leering at Nichkhun’s slightly ajar door to warn him. Nichkhun abruptly sprang backward all the way to his bed. Certainly he did not want to see the big boss—not like this. He was a total mess. He wasn’t his good-looking brother who looked good no matter state he was in.

*****

Nichkhun was plugging in his earphones and listening to some good music, his fingers tapping impulsively as they remembered how to dance on piano’s keys. It had been long since he played because of his social anxiety. He didn’t have anything musical instrument in this flat (they had one in their house in California, but they sold it along with the house) and the only place he knew he could play was downtown where people gathered. He just could not do it.

This was what he got from hanging out with what people called “wrong kind of friends”. He did not like meeting with people now. He got only a handful of friends and they were all Asians. There was this odd kid who was totally a stranger about the States. He moved in to Boston because of his father. Nichkhun liked him because he was funny and he played piano, too. His name was Kim Junsu and he lived upstairs. The other kid he befriended was Park Jaebeom. This kid was hardly a Korean—he was just born from two Koreans!—and he mixed with Americans so well, but the reason Nichkhun could be friends with him was that this kid liked to dance—just like Nichkhun, too. This kid was the one that united Junsu and Khun, using his root to befriend them and his local relationship to protect them. Nowadays, if he went out, he would only meet either this or that kid.

“I’ll ask him myself, you wait here.”

The voice was too strong to block. Nichkhun was alarmed. There was footfall right before his door and faintly he could hear his brother try to talk to the man on the door. Nichkhun wanted to escape, but it was too late. The Boss pushed the door open and with a bright toothy grin, he said:

“I’m going to take you two out for lunch because your brother’s not capable of providing food in here. Are you coming, Khun?”

“Ye—yeah, sure,” Nichkhun stuttered right away with wide eyes as he pulled his earphones out of his ears. His heart thumped wildly. The Hunky Boss grinned even wider and clapped his hands.

“Come on out and let’s hit the town,” he automatically exclaimed. Nichkhun glared at his brother who was glaring back at him when his boss wasn’t looking at any of them.

_Why did you agree, stupid?!_ –This was what Nichan tried to say to his brother through his intense glare.

_How do you refuse him, really, stupid? Who’s in the world insane enough to reject that offer, genius?!_ –and this was what Nichkhun said in return through his heated glare.

_Say something rude or whatever, you’re good at it!_ —Nichan insisted frustratingly.

_I am good at it when it comes to_ you _, not him!_ —this was what Nichkhun meant through his hot, dark glare.

The boss who had been walking toward the door suddenly turned around and asked:

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Yes, _Hyungnim_! Come on, Khun!”

The big brother was glaring even harder this time, in full threatening mode. He had things to think since his boss had decided something he should not casually tolerate. Nichkhun, who very much preferred to keep peace between him and his brother, jumped to his feet, blindly grabbed nearest hooded jacket and wore it. He stumbled to his brother’s side in no time. They got into elevator and went down. To their surprise, the boss drove his car alone—much to Nichan’s dismay.


	2. OkTroll, OkFool.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Continuing where the brothers leave with the peculiar boss for lunch. Khun keeps thinking out loud. Pure foolishness and nonsense.

“You can’t do this, Boss,” Nichan said hopelessly.

They were now sitting together in a fast food restaurant. Taecyeon kept making Nichkhun’s plate full with fries despite the grim tacit refusal Nichkhun conveyed. Nichan was worried sick; he had turned sickly green even though he should be rosy red with the amount of meal he had been given by the boss.

“Why?” Taecyeon asked childishly, playing innocent (although one could easily guess the reason by the look of men-in-black that had been wandering around the town, looking—amazingly, they did not see Taecyeon sitting in Wendy’s with the Horvejkul brothers!). Taec pouted and said, “Are you not happy with my driving skill? Do you want to go to Mamma Maria instead? I don’t really mind, but—”

“No!” Nichan sighed right after he shrieked his answer. “Not Mamma Maria, _Hyungnim_. That’s over the top—look at us, really!” he pointed out how shabby he and his brother looked—“But that is beside my point.”

“What point? Ecopoints?” Taecyeon held up a folded eco-bag that he always brought.

“What do you think I am? Your straight man?!” Nichan exploded—just as expected of a true straight man, ha!

“I think so, I’m nicknamed _Bingu_ anyway,” said Taecyeon without missing a hitch. It was impossible to have normal conversation with him unless he wanted to, really.

“That’s not how ecopoints obtained,” Nichkhun mumbled through the straw of his vanilla milkshake. This went unheard due to the weakness of its decibel when said—or so Khun had thought, because Taecyeon smiled brightly at him, visibly amused, with terrifyingly good timing.

Nichkhun had thought that grown-ups were nasty specimens until he saw this grown-up. Who would have believed that this man was now twenty-seven and he was actually the heir of Korean-American gangster group. Ok Taecyeon was his favorite adult, well, he was practically the only adult Nichkhun liked.

“You really have no sense of danger, _Hyungnim_.”

“Because I drive on my own?”

This man was seriously… even Nichkhun the outsider knew how foolish he was, but he was incredibly skilful too—he could do well in espionage business! Taecyeon patted Nichan on the back vigorously, almost sending the latter flying across the table. One could plainly see why he was so confident about his safety after witnessing his strength.

“Do you want to kill me? Strangle me, it’s quicker!” Nichan hollered. The superior man shook his cutely, so unfitting.

“You kidding? I still need you alive, my man!” He laughed merrily, which only irked his subordinate more than ever. He quickly pulled himself together and only kept a warm smile on his face. Nichkhun was immediately captivated, but he couldn’t. Not in front of him like this!

“You _do_ know how dangerous it is for people when you go and buy them food, don’t you? People will get ideas and I’ll never live in peace anymore. My life has been hung on the line just for helping you sorting out your bloody pile of documents the last time—I don’t need more!” Nichan went on and on with his protest despite the fact that he was currently stuffing his face relentlessly with food bought by his problem-magnet of a boss.

“My sincerity’s always misinterpreted! It’s probably not gonna cause you any trouble since you’ve been seen frequently in my office, working.”

“Hell, Boss. I think it’s safer for me to take these home.”

“Yeah right—as if. That would rise worse suspicion, silly.”

“You’re right,” said Nichan after thinking about it for a minute. The boss was unbelievably smug. Then, Nichkhun blurted out of the blue:

“What about me?”

Taecyeon and Nichan turned to him automatically and fixed their eyes on him, staring in shock as if Khun had developed second head or third eye or horns. Nichkhun did not see this because he was busy staring at his hands and fries on his plate. Taecyeon broke the silence first in pure astonishment:

“Whoa, it talks!”

Nichkhun went red. He looked up in anticipation, met immediately by Taecyeon’s eyes. He wanted to bury himself and die. He did not think he would say that out loud. He didn’t think he really said that instead of just think of it. Taecyeon was immensely amused, clearly judged from how jovial his laugh was. Just short after, he stopped and pulled his polite, warm straight face again like magic. He reached across the table with his long, big hand and patted Nichkhun’s arm like a friend.

“Sorry, but I thought you hated me since you didn’t talk at all—not even look at me. I’m really glad you talk— _loudly_ ,” he said, smiling warmly.

Nichkhun went redder. He could not even lift his eyes from the table. Certainly, Taecyeon would not want to know how much time Khun had spent to stare at him and his (stolen) picture secretly.

“I just felt like I didn’t have to say anything, so I kept quiet,” said Nichkhun timidly, more like to his milkshake in his hands than to anyone else.

“This is why I took you out for lunch, you ungrateful brat,” Taecyeon said to Nichan, who innocently tried to ignore. “Your cute little brother is very polite and good, but you don’t even know how to feed him properly. How is he going to grow big and strong? You’ve all grown, so you don’t really need that, but he hasn’t, you selfish brat!”

“What the… no, you take it wrong, _Hyungnim_!” Nichan denied strongly. “He just doesn’t eat enough! He always eats very little.”

“That’s because takeouts you buy me are total trash,” Nichkhun countered without thinking. Taecyeon reacted dramatically and proceeded to jeer Nichan happily.

“You punk!” yelled he.

“Told you again and again, man, that Chinese restaurant you love is horrible.”

“No, it’s not!”

“It is! This man is called food terrorist with cheap palate, when he said a food is horrible, then it _is_ horrible, man!” Taecyeon confidently told Nichan.

Khun said, “His words really!” and laughed melodiously in high-pitched voice. His brother was freaked out not because of his boss’ words, but his brother’s laugh.

“I didn’t know you could use that kind of voice!”

“But then again, there are a lot of things you haven’t known about him,” quipped the boss as he showed the toothy grin again. Nichkhun laughed happily. For the first time in his whole life, he laughed like this. Well, he might have been like this before, but it had been too long that he no longer had any memories of it. He was too busy laughing that he did not realize how Taecyeon watched him adoringly.

*****

The car was old—Taec might have said about it was a 2006 Nissan Altima 2.5 S. Real cheap, too (Khun heard it was only about $2000 now). It was truly a wonder why would this Richie Rich of the Dark Side still keep it—and drive it, too! Taecyeon stopped in front of the apartment building. Nichkhun slid out of the backseat and Nichan was about to get out, too, when the driver barked at him. Forcefully he pulled the guy back to his seat.

“Why are you getting off, Horvejkul? I didn’t come to your flat for lunch!”

“You didn’t?” the bloody bastard asked innocently. Taecyeon wasn’t impressed and all he said was a flat threat:

“I’ll fire you.”

“Kidding, okay? I’m kidding, _Hyungnim_!” Nichan was horrified for a second, knowing that Taecyeon always did what he said. Taecyeon shook his head and began to look back coolly and drove the car backward with left hand on the wheel.

“One of these days I might end up killing you for real,” he grunted grumpily. Nichan begged him to stop the dark joke. Taecyeon turned the car smoothly. As he prepared to drive off again, he took time to stop and said to Nichkhun: “See you next time, Khun! Don’t be a stranger, okay?”

“Yeah. Th—Thanks! Thanks… for the lunch,” Nichkhun called back with voice weakening in the end. Taecyeon smiled widely and winked once before starting the engine and driving away. Nichkhun’s heart melted at the sight.

“I saw you there, you queer,” someone’s lame voice suddenly came out of nowhere. Nichkhun rolled his eyes and turned blindly, ignoring the source of the voice. He walked back into the building without a care. The boy called him and followed him.

“The hell are you talking about, Junsu?” Nichkhun hissed, pocketing his hands. The slightly tanned boy grinned stupidly at the pale teen.

“I know you are full homo for that uncle,” Junsu said.

“He is not an uncle!” Nichkhun hollered as he abruptly halted. He threw a deadly glare at his friend, but he was met with the stupidest smirk he ever saw today. Why was he friends with this person again?

Junsu skipped excitedly as Nichkhun’s red face was prominently seen and he tried hard to deny everything. He teased, “You can’t fool me, Khun. You are obsessed with him. I’ve seen you kiss his picture!”

“No, you didn’t! I never—” Nichkhun stopped because he nearly revealed everything—although it was too late, he fell for it and Junsu was triumphant.

“Oh yeah! Gotta tell Jay about this,” said Junsu, fishing out his phone.

“Don’t!” Nichkhun angrily pushed Junsu’s hand and phone away.

“Why? Jay’s already known it anyway. You’re too obvious!”

“ _What_?!”

“Try not to ogle at him every time he visits the principal!”

“I did not! I never!”

“Well, ‘ogle’ is probably too strong, more like… how do you say it? Staring intensely without even blinking until he is out of sight?”

“Shut it!”

Nichkhun was screaming now. He punched the elevator button with enough force to break his own thumb. Junsu did not back down. He elbowed his madly blushing friend like there was no tomorrow.

“Ha! You can’t deny it, Khun! Your face tells me everything!”

“Shut it!”

“Your brother is clueless about this, isn’t he?”

“My brother is a total dick. How do you expect him to notice anything that is not related to his own profit?” spat Nichkhun, which only obtained him another round of loud chortle from Junsu.

“Keep telling yourself that you’re not gay for the fucking owner of this town and you might as well as get a new brother who cares about you,” Junsu said, giggling.

The elevator came with thunderous sound. It was about time this thing renewed. Hell, as if Khun had any right to feel unhappy with the elevator—he should be happy enough to have a place to sleep, even his own bedroom, and they just had to pay $750 per month.

“It’d be so much easier to get the boss fuck me than to find that kind of brother,” he blurted mindlessly as he stepped into the rusty old elevator. Junsu followed him.

“I don’t doubt that,” said Junsu, grinning and mocking.

“Shat, did I really say that out loud?” Nichkhun sighed and ruffled his hair in frustration. Twice a day had he accidentally spoken up what should have remained inside his mind. Junsu laughed, clinging to Khun’s arm like a leech.

“Don’t worry, Khun, your secrets are safe with me,” he said, comforting. Nichkhun leered at him and sighed in defeat. What else could he do anyway? Then, Kim Junsu added quietly, “And Jay.” Nichkhun covered his face with both hands.


	3. Dysfuction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nichkhun has forgotten what it was like to have a normal brother and loving parents, or to be innocent. He gets into a fight with his brother for real this time.

A small, muscled man stepped onto the rectangle dance floor. He stepped tastefully, riding the music and its rhythm perfectly. One and two turns then he got to his right hand, lifting his body up to the air. The boys and girls behind the dance floor cheered for him. Khun nodded his head, enjoying the music as he glued his eyes on the screen. This crew was not exactly special, but they were pretty advanced. He was sure Jay had practiced everything these people did.

Khun decided to log off and paid at the counter. He slithered toward the front glass window. He ripped off an advertisement from there and surreptitiously put it in his pocket. He read it as he passed earlier—it caught his attention. His real objective was to tear this off and save it for himself: Mission Complete.

On his way out, a bunch of boys of his age came in and bumped to him. They instantly recognized him. It was not good—not lucky, not good.

“Oh, it smells so bad in here!” one of them said. It was Willis, the leader.

“Yeah, why’s it so bad, huh?” another replied cockily. Now it was Moray.

“Guess ‘s because we gotta Thai scum over here?” the other said mockingly, pointing a finger at Khun indiscreetly. They laughed at Tenets’ rotten joke. Khun glared at them.

“Your dad must miss your pretty little mouths, huh?” he retorted.

“Your dad must not miss you he never came back,” returned Willis. Khun did not think after that. Whatever happened, it was on impulse.

*****

It was September again. Wind had begun to be colder. Nichkhun had just come back after doing his preferred after-school entertainment in internet café, unfortunately with a blue eye. One did not have to ask why. As an immigrant (or descendant of an immigrant) who looked frail and meek like him, it was expected that some stupid kids would mock and bully him. Khun used to ignore them, now he picked a fight with them if they so wished. After all, provoking Khun was a bad idea; at least, that was a bad idea when the ruckus attracted cops.

He entered the apartment. A box of cigarettes sat on the coffee table in front of the TV. It had been opened and the content was decreased to its half. Nichkhun picked it up and lighted one. He coughed at first, but then he managed to inhale and exhale like any tobacco-freak out there. It wasn’t his first, of course, courtesy of his bullies. He slumped lazily on the couch and exhaled more smoke. His lungs burnt, but he did not care about it.

Nichan wasn’t home: This was one fact that he could easily decipher as soon as he stepped into the room. The place reeked of sex, cheap liquor, and smoke. His brother did not smoke. This must belong to his lady of the month—or week, whatever. Nichkhun looked about and found empty Chinese takeout boxes by the couch and empty pizza boxes. There were empty beer cans all over the place. This place should be burnt to ash, he thought.

“At least he didn’t take the bitch into my room,” he mumbled.

The cigarette he smoked finally lasted. He punched the butt onto nearby pizza box. His phone buzzed loudly. He took it out of his jacket’s pocket and saw that it was his mother’s number. He did not want to talk to her—she had called him all day and he ignored them all—but he finally decided that taking this now would save his time from getting calls throughout the week.

“Yeah, what?”

“ _Why are you talking to me like that?_ ” His mother abruptly changed her tone as if she had been just reminded of something by someone back there. “ _Ah, it’s okay—how are you, my son? It’s been a while since we talked. Why did you never answer?_ ”

“I’m busy.”

“ _I see. It’s good to be busy._ ”

“What is it, Ma? I have homework to do.”

“ _Of course, of course. Study well, my son! I just called to tell you that your father and I wired money to your brother last week. Did you buy something good—new clothes, new shoes? We have a little bit extra, so we sent more than usual_.”

“What?”

Nichkhun had hardly any food for the whole week because his brother kept saying that he did not have any money after he paid rent and such—and now their mom said that they had sent extra money?

“ _What? Didn’t your brother tell you? He must have forgotten. Ask him, okay? I’m hanging up now since you said you have to do your homework. Bye_.”

“Wait!”

Nichkhun could not hold back his anger. He wanted to cry so badly because he was so mad right now. That brother really did it this time. He had to at least buy him proper food this time to compensate his loss! He got to his feet and went to his room. He initially thought of calming himself down in his sanctuary there, to prevent him from going rampage. That was the original plan, but he could not stop his mouth from cursing as soon as he arrived. It smelt worse than the living room.

“ _I’ll kill him. I’ll kill him when he comes back!_ ” he thought hotly. There was something about his past that prevented him from shouting when he was about to blow up. He did not quite remember what it was, but it was there.

He kicked the door, the hamper, the magazine rack. He marched into his brother’s room and ripped anything that caught his eyes: shirts, porn mags, posters on the wall, whatever. He _fucking_ promised that he would never touch Khun’s bedroom. He swore that he would never do it in Khun’s bedroom whatever the situation was. He broke it just like that—even left his bloody disgusting used condoms where they had finished their business in Khun’s bedroom.

“ _I HATE YOU! FUCK YOU! I FUCKING HATE YOU!_ ” Khun screamed inside his mind. He kept chanting the curses until he gagged and ended up crying in rage. He bawled on the floor until his voice became hoarse. He punched the wall and left bloody marks on the faded wallpaper.

*****

“Hey, you should really calm down now, Khun,” Junsu said worryingly. He had come with Jay to check on Nichkhun after they heard what happened at the internet café, but instead, they found their friend in worse state. Jay had the initiative to take him out of the place before he tore it down or blew it up. He knew important things about Khun that one should pay extra attention and Junsu was good at neutralizing Khun’s unstable emotions.

“I swear I’ll kill him when he comes back. I’ll throw him out of the window,” mumbled Nichkhun darkly as he squeezed the air out of his supposedly empty, already crumpled can of coffee. It was fortunate that Jay bought him coffee to calm him down, or else, Khun would break the vending machine first. Among the three, Jay had the most stabilized life and his pocket money a day could even feed Khun for a week, but it didn’t mean he would pay for a broken vending machine.

Jay sat next to him and chuckled, “You’re worst than me when that punk bullied Bob. Can you really do that to him, though?”

“Don’t encourage him, Jay!” begged Junsu in fear. Sometimes Jay’s words had powers to awaken unwanted motivation. He was a natural leader, but his way sometimes was too brash and scary. Junsu was afraid of him.

“I’ll do it for real,” Nichkhun declared. He threw the can into nearby bin and marched away toward his apartment building. Junsu chased him and tried to hold him back. It did not work. Mostly because his brother had just passed by, in a car driven by someone else. Nichkhun sprinted. He was the fastest among the three. If anything, Nichkhun was very good at this. Not even his lady-killer brother could beat him.

The moment Nichan stepped out of the car; he got pounced squarely on the face. He was so shocked that he could only stare from the ground. He saw Nichkhun, his frail useless brother, stand before him. Did his little brother just throw a fist to his face? He got to his feet and began yelling:

“Are you out of your mind? Why did you do that?”

“Why?” Nichkhun cried in disbelief. He grabbed Nichan’s collar and held him tightly as he glared into his eyes. “You broke our deal! I said you can fuck whoever you want wherever you want but my bedroom. Is that really hard to keep?” Nichan blinked and shut his jaw, understanding the situation.

“Oh, this is what it’s all about. Sorry, okay? I was stoned. I didn’t remember!”

“Of course you didn’t!” shouted Khun. “What about the money our parents sent? You didn’t remember about that, too?” This time, Nichan’s face changed completely. He mocked the little brother.

“But you didn’t want their money. You said that yourself, didn’t you? Is it really that hard to remember?”

“I’ll kill you!”

Nichkhun launched another punch that landed accurately on the handsome face. They then fought messily and only when people finally realized that they should be separated, the fight stopped. Both of them were black and blue. Nichkhun did not want to stand down, but Junsu and Jay succeeded in dragging him away. The one who escorted Nichan back also had a hard time since he got some bruises from trying to interfere earlier.

“Don’t come back home if you don’t bring me money for food, you selfish prick!” Nichkhun managed to shout out. His brother didn’t respond to this since his lips had swelled thrice as the initial size.


	4. Curious Arrangement

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Khun's fight with his brother, suddenly Khun is getting a new roommate, a roommate he never dares to even dream to have. Khun's stupid teenager libido doesn't help.

The dour night found Nichkhun sitting in the park alone. Jay and Junsu left because he harshly told them to. He appreciated their company, but right now Khun felt that it would be so much better for them to be as far as possible from troublemaker like him before they got caught in the tide. That was the least Khun could do for the only two persons he considered as friends.

He touched his body and flinched. He felt like he had broken bones and bruises everywhere. His face was spared because he knew how his brother fought; he could easily dodge his punches especially ones directed at his face. He only got the black eye from earlier fight with the lowlifes (it had been compressed earlier with cold can of coffee) and a bruise on his cheek, but nothing worse than those on his face. He still got plenty on his body, though. It hurt. He wanted to lie down and sleep, but he did not want to come back to the apartment. It was a total mess and the smell would make him vomit. Just a few hours until midnight and Nichkhun still had no intention of going back.

 He heard rustle from behind. He jumped out of impulse, worried that his brother would come. His fear did not come true, but it actually had taken a turn to the worst he could ever imagine. One supremely neat and handsome in tailored suit Taecyeon stood there impassively, watching attentively ten meters away. Nichkhun turned his face, absolutely ashamed of himself right now. This wasn’t the state he wanted the man to see him in. Especially, not with the fact that the man was wearing expensive suit and shiny dress shoes and manly cologne and glossy hair gel.

“I heard you got into a fight with Nichan because he had sex in your room,” the husky voice started carefully. “I went and saw the place. You wrecked it, really.”

A deep chuckle. Nichkhun’s heart thrummed loudly. His ears were full of his heartbeat. Just one tiny piece of sound could make Nichkhun go crazy.

“I had the place cleaned, Khun. Let’s go back.”

“No,” Nichkhun rapidly answered. “I don’t want to see his ugly mug.”

“He won’t be there, I promise.”

The voice had suddenly become so close. Khun felt his body hot and cold and his joints hurt so much. It couldn’t be—but the voice stayed as close as it was.

“I stationed him somewhere else. He won’t be coming back soon.”

“What do you mean?” Khun had to ask.

As much as he hated his brother, when a leader of gangster group said things like that, he had to worry. Well, mostly because he needed at least his brother’s bank statement and such. He bravely turned his body around just to meet the towering big man a feet away from him. He almost fell backward if Taecyeon did not hold him by the arms.

_He smelled like chocolate and cinnamon and coffee…_

Khun blinked. What did he just thought?

“Come in first. We can’t speak here,” Taecyeon replied, solemn and calm.

Khun decided that it was not wise to deny this, so he nodded. Taecyeon walked in front of him without any doubt. He should have told Khun to at least walk next to him so he would know that Khun wasn’t running away, but no, he did not. He did not even look back. He was indeed a strange adult.

They entered the apartment. It was bright and crowded. About six men stood in the room, waiting at attention. They bowed deeply at Taecyeon’s arrival and then they moved out of the apartment by simple nod made by Taecyeon. They waited by the open door.

Nichkhun could not believe his eyes. The apartment room was so much cleaner and neater than it could ever be right now. The smell was nice, clean and fresh, not much of a floral scent, but enough to get rid of fishy and every other unpleasant smell.

“You go and take care of your bruises first. I believe the medicine cabinet is quite complete right now. Oh, you should cook something if you are hungry, Khun. I have them fill the fridge,” said Taecyeon, pointing at the kitchenette. “I’m going to do my part first and after that I’ll come back.”

“Why are you coming back, _Hyungnim_?” innocently Khun asked. It sounded rude that one of the men waiting outside was about to scold him if not for Taecyeon’s interference.

“I’m going to be your roommate for the following week. Your brother is away on a trip with my body-double.”

He dropped it and left coolly. Khun was unable to process it until he was out of sight. Did he just say that he would be living here with Khun? He could not mean that. He must be teasing Khun. But if so, why did he say that his brother was away with _his body-double_? Nichkhun shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He should not think about it too hard.

Nichkhun went to see the fridge, which was now fully functioning with complete set of grocery inside. He checked the counters and found even two bags of rice and granulated sugar packs and a box of Korea-brand instant noodles. Now at least Khun could survive with those. He then took out some ice and put it on his black eye and cheek. After that, he went to his bedroom. Amazingly, his bedroom was clean and neat, but everything was put back to its previous place impeccably. He dropped his body on the bed and sighed deeply. He was exhausted. He did not care anymore.

*****

Khun woke up to the sound of cluttering and sizzling, as well as scent of delicious stir-fry. He crept out of the bed, half conscious, leering at the oddly functioning alarm clock by the bed. It was ten to twelve. Who in the world would cook this late? He marched out the room to scold, but then he realized that neither his brother nor himself could cook. The realization came too late.

“You woke up? Good timing, I’ve just done everything. Go wash up and I’ll finish plating in no time,” said Taecyeon, stirring vegetables and meat vigorously. Nichkhun flushed red. He nodded mindlessly and went to the bathroom hurriedly.

“The hell is happening?” he mumbled.

He undressed and quickly went under the shower. The super hot man was cooking in his kitchen, with an apron—pink apron that Junsu bought for his birthday just to annoy him last year. Taecyeon managed to look so manly in that—and Khun thought pink ruin the look of men. Darn it, he was aroused. In time like this, really? _Cold water. Cold water_! The mental image of Taecyeon wearing pink apron, enticing Khun like a husband who cooked and cleaned like a housewife, but he completely got Khun pinned under him, and then fucked him like that in the kitchen… Cold water was no help. Khun squirted a load of soap and quickly he wrapped his fingers around his dick.

It was seriously pathetic, but he could not help it. Vigorous pumping continued as Khun began to be as wet as seaweed in cold soup. He panted and moaned in between. He wanted to put something inside, but he wasn’t alone in the house right now. He could not take out any toys—yes, he had toys. It was out of curiosity that he tried to insert something, but it ended up being something essential. He now could not do it without something inside. He would feel like something was missing. Now he had nothing, so he used his fingers. The flesh inside the hole was warm and soft. Khun wanted to reach farther. The spot, he begged, he had to reach it.

“ _You are a naughty, naughty baby_ , _Khun_ ,” Imaginary Taec gruffly said to Khun’s earlobe. So low—the voice!

Khun shivered. His stomach tightened, his hole cramped, and his breath was heavy. Milky white liquid joined the flow of merciless cold water. Khun’s face was planted on the tile wall. His eyes were half-lidded and his cheeks were pink. There was no energy left, but he was glad—glad that it passed. He had to shower for real now.

When Khun thought the worst crisis had passed, he just remembered something as he stepped out of the shower. Oh man, he forgot to bring clean clothes.

“Khun, are you all right in there? Still alive?” Taecyeon asked as he knocked at the bathroom door. Khun managed to let him know that he was alive by producing a loud thud as he slipped and fell on the floor.

“Khun, are you all right?!”

Taecyeon’s voice changed its tone. The door flew open and Khun wanted to die—didn’t he lock it? Well, at least he had had the towel around his lower body if not… he did not even want to think about it.

“Oh, you poor thing,” Taecyeon said with a smile. “Come on, let’s get you to your room first.” He offered a hand, which Khun accepted gloomily.

*****

Still blushing hard, Khun sat across the round breakfast table. Taecyeon ate healthily, gobbling down the rice he made himself with a pot (did the brothers actually have that pot before in here before Taecyeon came?). Khun never saw this table full with food like this. He never sat on this table before with someone else. It was weird. Suddenly the man stopped and stared fixatedly at him.

“Why aren’t you eating? Are these not to your liking?”

“No!” Khun spluttered. His cheeks turned slightly pink. “I… I just thought it… it’s weird to have food on this table.” He was embarrassed about it, but it slipped out of his tongue easily. Taec chuckled at his reply.

“Your brother sucks at babysitting.”

“Am not a baby!” fervently Khun interjected. The other laughed heartily.

“Never said you were.”

The teenager was red. There was no way he could win against this man, so he opted to eat quietly. There were chopsticks readied for him as well as a spoon and a fork. Khun decided that spoon and fork combination was a better choice. The food was well-made, but the meat was not enough for Khun. He was very greedy about meat because he grew up with it, having spoiled with luxury and top-tier grade of food. The harsh reality knocked Khun awake from his daydreaming. He was abandoned by his parents and he should be thankful for every piece of _edible_ food he had. He leered at the cook—he was very satisfied with the meal. It would be a strange view if one did not understand the man.

“I love my rice,” Taec said out of nowhere, smiling and pushing a spoonful of rice into his mouth. _I love you_ , Khun thought involuntarily. The thought itself set Khun on fire.

“Can you help me with the dishes?” Taec asked, putting down his empty bowl. He sure ate fast, Khun noticed.

“I guess,” Khun replied weakly.

“You’re not half as bad as your brother always depicted you,” Taec stated, impressed.

“You don’t know anything,” Khun mumbled darkly.

Throwing his sentiments aside, this man truly knew nothing of Khun’s life and feelings. He did not know how harsh it was to be Nichkhun Horvejkul in Boston. He did not know how hard it was to be Nichan Horvejkul’s little brother, the one who had always been foreshadowed by the big brother since the day of his birth. He had no idea. He was just an outsider, a housemate. This truth struck Khun’s mind roughly. His rebellious side took the wheel and whirl of negative feelings dominated him right away.

Khun got up to help with the dishes, but he refused to say anything or react to whatever Taec say to him. The change of mood dampened the atmosphere between the two and it led to Khun’s successful retreat to his own room. He did not understand why would he feel so wronged just knowing how little Taec’s knowledge of his life. Khun wished he had a big heart and that he could open his mind to get closer to Taec. He had the good guy image and Khun wanted him, at least as a friend. However, the more Khun wanted something, the farther it got away. It had always been like that and always would.


	5. Unnecessary Attention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Khun is feeling rebellious today after his secret hideout is discovered by Taec. Unfortunately, his rebel attracts unwanted attention.

First, he stuck his right foot forward, turned it sideway, pulled it back and repeated with left foot. He faced the opposite side of his foot’s direction. This was repeated four times each. He sang along the loud music. He loved it when he was free to do anything as he pleased without any interference. Khun skipped to his left, putting his hands on the sides of his head and then he moved his head around. He got to repeat the previous set of moves throughout the reff. It was a good choreo, despite its simplicity, and Khun loved it. Jay had it done with his super choreographer of a friend, which was not a part of his crew since his crew hardly danced, if dabbing was even worthy to be counted as a form of dance.

“You sure dance well.”

Nichkhun almost toppled over as he heard the voice overpower the music. He was secluding himself on the topmost and darkest corner in the building, where only Kim Junsu knew he would be there, yet this man found him. Taec grinned goofily with hands in his pants’ pockets. He swaggered toward Nichkhun.

“Why did you stop? Don’t mind me, just pretend I am not here,” said he, holding up his hands to emphasize his point. He certainly had no idea that his presence in here alone had given a hundred tons of burdens to Nichkhun’s back. Moreover, Khun had lost his momentum and the song was about to end.

“I… have to go,” Nichkhun said abruptly. He left the old music box on as he hurried his exit with his jacket and bag. Taecyeon watched him bemused.

“That kid sure is fast,” commented he regarding Nichkhun’s speed of disappearing.

*****

The school bell was ringing when Khun arrived. Students poured out of the front door. Most of them raced toward the gate while the rest would falter for they were fonder of school than home. Some of them were busying themselves with extracurricular activities, such as football or cheerleading. Nichkhun was not included in both. He was waiting under a big tree near the gate, waiting for either Junsu or Jay to show up. They never stayed late at school.

Junsu spotted him immediately. It was out of habit. They were of same classes and same grade. It was no wonder that Junsu would seek him out. He was always troubling the older teen anyway. Junsu was half running toward Khun.

“You skipped the whole day, why are you here?”

“I just want to be outside now,” simply Khun answered.

“You practiced,” Junsu pointed out keenly. Khun shrugged and put his hands on his jacket pockets. Junsu led him out of the gate.

“Can I crash at your place for a bit?”

“Sure, you gotta work on homework anyway. We got plenty for next week.”

“Fuck no,” Khun cursed. “What homework?”

“For the start, we need to read about US history…”

“I’d play ‘American Conquest’,” cut Khun abruptly. Junsu choked on his words. He slapped Khun’s arm.

“No! You’ll come to classes tomorrow—no skipping, and if you’re going to stay at my house this afternoon, you’re going to do the homework with me!”

Khun rolled his eyes and Junsu bombarded him with more nagging. It was by no choice. He had to play by Junsu’s rules if he was going to hide from Taecyeon. Arriving in Junsu’s slightly better apartment, his mother welcomed with a bright smile. She hadn’t used to speaking English until this day, but she was getting better. Khun, on the other hand, was hopeless in understanding Korean beyond simple greetings and repetitive popular catchphrases like “ _daebak_ ”—“jackpot” or “super”, “ _ne_ ”—“yes”, “ _ani_ ”—“no”, and the names and honorifics.

“ _We’re going to study in my room_ , _Mom_ ,” said Junsu to his mom in Korean. The only thing Khun understood was “ _Eomma—_ Mom”.

They went straight into Junsu’s room. It was no better than Khun’s room. Everything was all over the place, but at least Junsu had a PC for himself, unlike Khun. The smell was not exactly nice—knowing how terrible Junsu’s self-hygiene. This did not matter for now; Khun could endure it for hours.

Junsu really dragged Khun into studying and working on assignments, but it didn’t last since he himself was easily distracted. Junsu began to write poems instead of doing his assigned reading material, and so Khun rewarded himself with an hour of random video streaming. Junsu’s mom gave them cakes and tea, then she called them for dinner at seven.

 It was all fine until the Kims’ front door bell rang. Mother Kim rose from her seat in the middle of dinner to see who it was at the door. Khun was not worried at the time. He was busy eating silently as Junsu and his little brother bickered healthily meanwhile their father told them to turn on the television. Mother Kim hastily came back to the dining room. She said something that seemed urgent. Junsu dropped his chopsticks. He turned to Khun with wide eyes and pale face.

“Khun, you should go back to your apartment now,” he said.

“Why? You’re sending me away now?” Khun asked, getting the wrong idea about the suggestion. He felt like being rejected, although Junsu did not mean that at all.

“No, Khun, I’m serious,” Junsu insisted. “ _Hyungnim_ is waiting at the door!”

“You’re lying.”

“Go, see it for yourself if you don’t believe me!”

Khun was very reluctant, but deep inside him, he knew that it was true. It was not unexpected that the odd adult would correctly guess that Khun had been hiding in here and now he came to fetch him. Khun was afraid and embarrassed, remembering what happened earlier today. He did not want to overstay his welcome, but he also did not want this. He did not wish to be there, facing the stately beast, but he had no other option if he wanted to live.

Taec’s face was neutral when Khun showed up at the door. It was a genuine surprise. Khun had thought that the man had quite a temper (his brother restlessly implied so in his description and the way he reacted to Taecyeon’s commands). He expected the older man would at least yell at him, just like Nichan. He should know that Khun had skipped school today the time he found him dancing.

“Have you finished the dinner?” Taec asked coolly.

“Yeah.”

“Let’s get back, then. You shouldn’t bother your neighbors past dinnertime.”

Taec turned to walk away, expecting Khun to follow him quietly. Unfortunately, Khun was feeling extremely rebellious today.

“You are nothing to me,” he muttered angrily.

“What?” Taec asked, turning his face to see him in the eye. Khun, however, glared at him with all his might.

“You are nothing to me! You can’t make me do anything. You don’t know anything about me! You can’t control me!” he shouted. Taec, the ever gentle man, dropped his neutral look and instead wore a cold, uncaring expression.

“Sure,” he replied indifferently. “So what? You’re going to sleep outside? You’re going to live at the streets so you don’t have to see me? Or you’re going to bother your neighbors? Whatever you said, the apartment belongs to your brother—he paid for it. I’m going to stay there until he is back and there’s nothing you can do about that. You can hate me all you want, but you need a place to sleep and food to eat. Come now or you stay out.”

Nichkhun felt his body stop functioning. The cold eyes, the cruel words, the steel-hard psychic slap that had just been delivered by Ok Taecyeon hurt him to the core. It was true and he knew. The man spared him a quick dark leer before disappearing at the stairs, presumably going back to the apartment. Khun wanted to kick something—break something.

He ran from the building and went as far as three blocks away from his area. It was not a good idea. At all.

“Hey, hey! You! Faggot!” someone yelled. Khun stopped and turned. There was a group of white boys, hanging around a white van. Something was not right about them—oh, yes, they were part of local gang. One of them stood up and went to Khun.

“What?” Khun asked, rather flatly and bitchy (his emotionless naturally arrogant face was always read that way when he was especially uncaring).

“Do you know this area is restricted?” the boy asked. He was taller than Khun and obviously older, perhaps almost as old as Nichan. He reeked of booze and smoke.

“Didn’t see any restriction,” Khun answered mindlessly.

“You little shit won’t know,” the boy mocked. Now his friends had come to stand behind him. The atmosphere was dangerous. “We’ll teach you not to fuck around this place because this place belongs to us.”

Khun didn’t know why they were so agitated about territory when it was just him that walked past it. Khun didn’t care, too. He jumped backward when attack was initiated. He dodged pretty much all attacks commenced by the leading boy, but then it changed into one-on-five situation. Khun stumbled and fumbled through the rain of fists. He was proud of his agility and his quick reflexes. He managed to land some punches on their faces, but his victory was not meant to be. One of them got a knife with them and it slashed Khun’s thigh.

“Ah!” Khun cried. Then, police siren was heard.

“Shit, someone’s called the cops. Run!”

They scattered away like flies. Khun was pushed aside in the process and now was on the asphalt road, bleeding. One of the cops chased the kids, while the other came to Khun, helping him up. Third figure appeared from the back seat of the police car. It was Taecyeon.

“Those kids are real troublemakers!” the cop hollered angrily.

“I’ll take this one home,” Taecyeon said emotionlessly. He stood by Khun and held him, preventing Khun from falling.

“I’ll drive you back, Mr. Ok,” offered the cop. It was accepted tacitly. They got into the car and left the scene as the cop told his partner through radio that he would come back in a few minutes.


	6. Tending Wounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Taecyeon attends Khun's wound, but he unconsciously ends up tending more than just a physical wound.

“The wound looks serious,” Taec said as they walked into the apartment.

No one was around that time to see them walk out of a police car. The cop was actually bowing to Taec as they left. Khun was still able to pay this tiny detail while hurting because he tried so hard not to think of how warm Taec’s body that was glued to his side, and how strong his arm was, the one that held Khun around the shoulders right now. Taec could easily bring Khun like a doll with one hand, but he seemed to honor Khun’s dignity as a man.

“You should go see a doctor.”

“No doctor,” petulantly Khun exclaimed.

More like no money to pay the doctor. If Khun could handle a bit of bloodshed and survive till the next day without any payment involved, Khun would do it. Paying healthcare was a pain in the ass. He did not even have insurance now because his beloved brother sold it to get money for, what else, gambling!

“Right,” Taec coldly responded.

His shoulders were emitting cold aura when they finally parted their ways, and Khun was able to see his turned back. Nichkhun should be more cautious around this man, but Nichkhun was attracted to trouble and bad boys—no, no, Nichkhun loved _villains_. He was like that Charlie’s angel who always fell for the _baddest_ bad guy. The more this man resented him, the more Khun loved him, even though deep down he knew that the guy was merely angry and his anger equaled to badness. It was the same thing for him. More or less—because he was just a teenager who hadn’t found his life purpose yet.

Khun alone limped his way toward the door of his room. His thigh was still bleeding; painted red was his pants’ right side. It stung badly and he could barely withstand the pain. When he finally got to sit on his bed, he felt at ease despite still bleeding. He put off his jeans pants carefully, cringing at the stinging sensation he felt as the rough fabric unavoidably caressed his wound. He took a look at the wound. It looked like a gouramy’s gaping mouth—so disgusting.

“Good, you’ve got rid of them,” one bespectacled Taec said as he waltzed into the room with a bowl and a plate.

Khun’s reflect went sluggish because of the pain. He blushed due to the embarrassment and rage—he was in his underwear (black with pink Hello Kitty™ pattern, courtesy of Jay Park who thought it was funny when he bought Khun’s birthday present with Junsu—yes, the same birthday in which Khun got that stupid pink apron from Kim Junsu). He was about to yell at the man, but then he saw what the man had brought into the room.

“Don’t get tense. I’ll clean the cut first.”

Taec wore latex gloves and pinched a cotton ball with tweezers. He smothered the alcohol-dipped cotton around the cut to clean the surrounding and showed clearly the form of the cut. Khun hissed. It hadn’t touched his wound directly at the red, angry slit where it was stabbed, but it hurt like hell. Khun cursed under his breath.

“You have to hold it in, okay? I can’t give you anesthesia to cease the pain, but I have to sew this up. It’s quite deep,” said Taec.

He was completely a different man right now. Unlike the cold man he was a moment ago, he was very gentle and attentive, but also very firm and disciplined—very professional. He was not a gangster. He was more like a physician. Damn it, who told Khun to use such obsolete term?

Khun squirmed. It was very awkward for him. His crush of lifetime was touching him _awfully_ close to his private part. His creamy white thighs as well as long slender legs were fully exhibited. The only remaining piece of sanity Khun still held on to was sternly caused by Taec’s professional vibe and mostly, his latex gloves—these helped Khun to remember that this wasn’t sexual. Or so he tried to convince himself.

Taec was oddly calm. It was hard to read him right now. Khun did not know what to expect from what he saw. Not that he had time to even think seriously about it. Now there was another cotton ball attacking the cut. This time it was dabbed right on the open wound. Nichkhun’s eyes got teary.

“Hold it in, okay?” pleaded Taec as his hands found an odd metal string and a strange black string. Nichkhun blinked away his tears.

He did not know what to expect until Taec jabbed in the pointy head of the metal string using some sort of scissors (it was a needle holder, Khun)—it was a needle! The moment it entered his flesh, the jolt of pain shut his mind and the burning sensation of thread sliding into his flesh was blinding him almost literally. His joints ached badly and he wanted to scream, but he held it in, just like Taec said. The thread was pulled out with some sort of tweezers (it was a forceps, people). It bled again and Taec diligently cleaned the blood as soon as he finished knotting one suture. He cut the remaining thread with a small scissor. It began to look like an operation room now.

“I guess six might be enough since the cut isn’t long,” Taec said, more to himself.

He resumed the work very seriously; his lofty eyebrows were practically joined at the center as he focused solemnly with tweezers (forceps, Khun), scissors (needle holder, Khun) and needle in his hands. Khun wondered if he touched that center, would it cease?

“You must wonder why a man like me would be able to do something like this,” suddenly Taec initiated something else. “I spent my youth as scout boy and I asked to attend military summer camp. They taught me basic skills for soldier, including this skill. I am now certified to do this—haha. Doesn’t match my look, huh? Gotta be rowdy Doctor Watson than Mr. Holmes with my character, right?”

Nichkhun didn’t know why this man suddenly told him his piece of life story, but Khun loved it. The words and his gentle voice gave off a certain calming effect. He did not know that Taec did this not only for Khun, but for himself. Sewing a human’s flesh was incomparable to sewing fabrics or dolls—and even clueless people knew you ought to be strong to do it. This routine also offered a warm start toward more intimate interaction, which Khun yearned. While Khun would not even say anything in response, Taec kept his routine seamlessly and didn’t seem to mind the fact that he was now doing monologue. The man understood that it was hard for Khun to even articulate a casual greeting at times like this.

“I went to business major afterward, though, while taking Asian languages and cultural studies minors. I like studying, but my old man wants me to take over the business, so I have to prepare properly. He said I can continue studying whatever I want after I graduate, so I did.”

Khun was greatly envious of this. How could someone be given such burden and responsibility without much choice and accept it just like that? How could his father let him do whatever he wants after completing just one thing? If Khun was given at least 20% of that level of liberty, Khun might stay the same as he was in his childhood years. _Fucking_ sweet and lovable princely kid he was, but no more.

“My sister is specialized in arts and culture, and psychology. Usually my sister will go to a new area first and observe. She will know what kind of people that live there just from their arts and she will assess the alternatives of how to deal with them. I will take care of the rest from there.”

At this moment, Taec had finished three stitches. How quickly those hands worked! Khun still wanted to cry and he gripped Taec’s shoulder tightly to channel his unbearable pain. He didn’t really realize it when was the hand reached that sturdy mass of muscle and bones. Taec smiled as he leered up to see Khun’s writhing face.

“You are quite strong, aren’t you, my stupid subordinate’s beautiful brother?”

“ _Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?_ ”

Yes, Nichkhun was screaming as loud as possible inwardly. Did Taec just call him beautiful? He, Nichkhun, was beautiful?

Taec chuckled and showed him mischievous grin right after. Khun’s surprise must be written all over his face and the man found it entertaining. Khun didn’t even know if he was sickly pale or rosy red right now. Just in time, Taec distracted him from his wildly disassembled mind by pushing the sharp needle into his flesh. Despite skillfully done, it still stung like a bitch! Khun felt like crushing the shoulder he was holding onto, but in reality, he wasn’t strong enough to do that—plus, who would want to ruin this kind of divine art, really.

“You’ll leave marks on me at this rate, Khun,” Taec teased. Khun’s heart leapt. His dirty, dirty mind worked like any other male teens of his age. Just a small, innocent remark like that was successfully transformed into something perfectly inappropriate.

“Just one more and we’ll be done with this,” he declared, preparing to finish the last stitch solemnly. Khun was thankful that the whole process didn’t feel too long—all because of Taec’s art of diversion.

There was blood everywhere and Taec only cleaned the area near the spot he was going to work on. The scent was no longer subtle at this point and Khun began to feel light headed. He had lost some blood despite it was only a small injury. He didn’t care about the pain anymore—he wanted to—because he could no longer hold his head up.

“You must be tired,” Taec said suddenly. Khun blinked. The man was applying some sticky bandages on gauze with antiseptics covering the sutures. He had set aside the equipments and was ready to take off his latex gloves.

“Drink some water before you go to sleep, okay?” the odd gangster boss said as he pointed at a glass of water at the table next to Khun’s bed. “When” was the only thing Khun could think of right now. When did he put that glass of water there?

“Should you take a shower, be careful not to get this wet until 24 hours passed from now, okay? You have to change this at least twice a day after that. I’ll leave this here for you.”

He got to his feet and put the first aid box near Khun’s alarm clock. He walked toward the door and stopped momentarily to say, “Good night,” and smiled as he shut the door.

There was definitely something wrong with that man’s smile just now, but Khun could not find it in himself the energy to pay closer attention. Not with the memory of Taec’s face being so close to his body and his hands practically were on Khun’s thigh. First thing first.

Even so, by the time Taec left the room, Khun had lost all his remaining energy and just fell like a dead tree. He looked at the glass of water. He reached out to it and attempted to drink it all in one go (of course, he failed). He put it back on the bedside table and he lied down. He sighed and covered his eyes with his own hand.

Living with your crush was hard. Being close with them was super hard. Being treated like a human being was unbelievably… shocking.


	7. Holes in the Walls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nichkhun stays home today because of his injury. As good as it might sound, he has no idea that something worse than school is coming to his apartment that day, causing holes in the walls.

Nichkhun woke up to a dim-lighted beige ceiling he recognized as his room’s ceiling. He felt feverish. He groaned and rolled to his side. His body was stiff and every muscle ached badly. Momentarily he forgot that his thigh was injured last night and he lied at the wrong side, he cursed silently as he changed to the other side. The sewed wound throbbed painfully. It was fortunate that Khun took time to put on pajama bottoms before he went to sleep, or else he might make it worse.

“I’ll take care of him today. Please give this permission slip to Miss Carvalho. Thanks. Don’t worry; it’s not a fake excuse. He is genuinely in need of rest today. He’s a fever, too, this morning when I checked on him. That’s probably because of the pain he must endure, but he’ll be all right. Don’t worry about him. Yeah, just text him about it. Bye, have a nice day at school, guys.”

Khun heard Taec’s voice. It seemed that he talked to someone at the front door. Damn, he was loud—or Khun’s ears were too sensitive. The door shut with a loud click. Khun could hear footsteps around the apartment. Taec was busy doing something there. He waited with rapidly beating heart. When his bedroom’s door finally opened, he tried to shut his eyes tightly and pretend to sleep.

“Still asleep, huh?” Taec mumbled. He put the tray he brought on the desk and he approached Khun. Khun jerked involuntarily when a big hand touched his forehead.

“Oh, you’re awake,” surprised Taec said, retracting his hand. Khun’s face was red, partially because he was embarrassed and partially because he had fever. Taec wiped Khun’s sweaty face with cold towel. “You’re burning. Eat the porridge first then I’ll give you pill to deal with your fever.”

“I don’t have to go to school?” Khun’s raspy, weak voice asked pitifully.

“No,” Taec replied gently. Khun knew the answer, but hearing it directly from that mouth made him happier than ever. Not noticing Khun’s excitement over the answer, Taec continued, “I had Junsu and Jay to deliver a permission slip with a note from doctor about your injury and your need to stay home today. I know you can give it later when you come back, but just in case, I sent it in advance.”

“But you… _Hyungnim_ ’s not my guardian.”

“Don’t worry. I’m an expert in fabricating your brother’s signature,” Taec said reassuringly and winked.

“ _And fabricating doctor’s note_ ,” Khun added inside his mind.

“Now, sit up. I’ll set up your breakfast.”

He turned to bring over the tray he left earlier. Khun sluggishly sat up. Taec set up a small table above Khun’s lap with the tray sitting on it, amazingly stable. This should be something that people called “breakfast in bed”, right? Khun pondered (yes, Khun, it is). A bowl of porridge, a small bowl of soup, and a glass of milk Khun could only dream of having these past two years were now there.

“Eat up. I’ll come back in thirty minutes.”

He left with a small smile. Khun didn’t have energy to return it, but he seemed to not mind it. It was like living in a dream (or a drama).

*****

The fever finally ceased when Khun woke up the second time about midday. He decided it was time to take a shower, so he got up and left the room. There, he saw Taecyeon in blue t-shirt and shorts and plastic sandals, sitting at the couch with spectacles on, reading a comic book. Next to him were two piles of comic books, one was taller than the other; obviously those were “read pile” and “unread pile”.

“You’re going to shower?” Taec asked. Khun froze on the spot—he thought he had been really quiet at tiptoeing. The man’s ears were big not for no reason, right?

“Y—yes,” Khun stuttered.

“I’ll check the bandage after you’re done, okay?” said the big man. His eyes didn’t leave the comic book’s pages. Khun nodded despite knowing that and resumed to go to the bathroom. “Don’t forget your clothes this time!” reminded Taec, with an irritating sing-a-song falsetto voice.

“I won’t!” shouted Khun, reddening as he remembered the last time. The man didn’t laugh—he _cackled_. The devil, really!

And yet, Khun could not escape from developing a feeling of comfort. He unconsciously smiled to himself once he was behind the bathroom’s closed door. He sighed. The teasing successfully annoyed him as well as entertained him. The hot-cold character Taecyeon showed intrigued Khun like no other. Before he knew it, he had already sunk to the bottom, to the deepest part of the ocean…

*****

Someone came to meet Taecyeon around two that afternoon. Khun was lying on his bed, trying to get some sleep after lunch, when he heard them coming. He peeked through his slightly open door. It was a Korean man, wearing sunglasses, gold necklace, tailored suit with colored shirt—unbuttoned to reveal part of his chest—and dress shoes. One could easily tell what he did for life seeing that outfit. He bowed to Taecyeon and greeted him loudly in Korean. Nichkhun didn’t understand anything.

Taec and the guest sat together at the table, chatting in Korean; inaudible from whence Khun spied (honestly, whether or not it was audible, Khun would not know what they were talking about). He saw them smile from time to time, and then they would get serious. Taec spoke only occasionally, and when he did, the other paid full attention. The newcomer told a lengthy paragraph to Taec, seemingly like a summarized report. Taec was really serious that moment and Khun could not help but feeling fear. The big man hardly blinked and his stare was unwaveringly cold and unreadable. He goofed off too often that sometimes one forgot who he actually was.

Khun’s heart went wild when he saw the other man pulled a gun out of his expensive jacket. He slid it across the table toward Taecyeon while he spoke. Taec watched the gun coolly with arms crossed on his chest. He uncrossed his arms and took the gun closer to him, tapping his fingers gently on its black surface, visibly contemplating. After another minute of absolute silence, he opened his mouth and spoke to the other man. Whatever he said, it concluded the meeting as the other man nodded and rose from the chair.

The man in suit walked next to Taec as he was leaving. He bowed again before leaving through the doorway. Taec nodded stiffly in return and shut the door, locking it. Khun noticed that the gun now had resided somewhere on Taec’s back. He was surprised that _he was_ _surprised_ to see something like this happen under his roof with the presence of Ok Taecyeon inside.

His brother might have been a gangster, too, but he never showed anything like this in here. The only thing he had seen that notified Khun about his brother’s occupation was the tattoo he had on the left of his chest: “玉”. He once bragged to Khun:

“This is jade in Chinese. If you put a box around it, you’ll get a country[1]!”

Junsu, when Khun told this to him, scoffed and said that he got it backward. He explained to Khun that actually, you have to put an open box first and then put the jade in and lastly close it to get a country[2]. Khun didn’t understand at all.

Back to the now, Taec was acting unusually uncomfortable when he wasn’t aware of Khun’s eyes on him. He was pacing back and forth in his mind; Khun could easily see that although he was just standing in the middle of the room, unmoving. With his brother was now away and Taecyeon was here, hiding from the world, Khun should have known it that it meant something bad _happened_ , _was_ _happening_ , or _was going to happen_. Khun should be afraid and worried, but his mentality of rebellious 15-years-old adolescent didn’t allow him to even care about all this. He tried not to think about. He truly did.

*****

After dinnertime, when Taecyeon was almost done cleaning Khun’s sutures like a _fucking_ nurse and changing the bandage, the door was kicked open and about six men in suit flooded in. Taec grabbed Khun and together they hid behind the counter as bullets shot like rain. The sound was deafening and Taec put Khun’s hands to his ears because Khun was too shocked to even move a muscle. The big man sat up with a gun swiftly pulled out from beneath his shirt. He fired back. When he was done, all sounds ceased too. Khun’s eyes were shut tight.

Something was wrong. Something was not meant to be seen or heard, but his nose picked up something. Something other than the smell of gunpowder, and spilled milk and oil and antiseptics. Khun trembled. He jerked when he felt someone’s hands touched him gently and attentively.

“Follow me; don’t open your eyes until I tell you to, okay?”

The voice was easily recognized. It was Taecyeon’s. Khun nodded furiously. He stood up with the aid of Taecyeon’s. He slightly jumped as they left. Taecyeon navigated Khun with his whole body pressed up to Khun’s lithe one. It offered great comfort. If the situation was any different, Khun’s mind would unnecessarily jump into the pit of perversion—but now, Khun was terribly shocked. When finally it was allowed for him to open his eyes, Khun realized he had been brought to Junsu’s apartment. Taec left him with the family as soon as Khun opened his eyes.

Junsu’s mom, pale and shocked just like Khun, offered him a cup of warm tea. Khun accepted it in auto-mode. His hands were still shaking like leaves. There wasn’t any conversation even between the family members. Junsu was sitting next to him and his parents were sitting together with Junsu’s little brother. They all looked uneasy—but then again, who would not?

It took more than three hours for Khun to find his cool back. He fell asleep on the Kims’ couch out of exhaustion. When he woke up, he was back in his bedroom. He thought it was all only just a dream, but he realized that he was wearing a jacket that wasn’t his. It was at least two sizes bigger than his and it couldn’t belong to Junsu or Jay. The sweatpants he wore were his, but he remembered clearly that he didn’t wear them last night.

Groggily, he limped his way out of the room. What welcomed him, however, was the same old room. It was flawlessly like the way he remembered it. Taecyeon was scooping rice from rice cooker into a bowl at the moment. He smiled at Khun once he caught the sight of him. Nichkhun blinked twice. Could it be… really just a dream last night?

“Come here and eat your breakfast, Khun- _ah_. I’ll clean your wound afterwards, okay?”

“Ye—yes, _Hyungnim_.”

It was really as if nothing had happened last night.

* * *

 

[1] The character “玉” is how Ok, Taecyeon’s surname and group’s name, written in _Hanja_. The same character is used in “国”, which means “country”.

[2] This refers to stroke order of the character.


	8. Magenta Purse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nichkhun thinks he was dreaming about the attack, but the more he thinks about it, there are more questions than answers. Also, the valiant troublemaker Khun is helping a woman when shopping with Junsu.

“Are you all right now, Nichkhun?” Ms. Carvalho asked worriedly first thing in the morning when Khun finally showed up at school on Friday. She, for one thing, knew better than anyone that Khun was a problematic kid. Ms. Carvalho was Khun’s homeroom teacher at school. She was a thin, middle-aged Latin woman. She taught Spanish and she was known for being firm. Khun had respect for her since she knew why he had turned out like this and she tried her best to tolerate his tendency to skip school days. Khun owed her a lot.

“Yes,” Khun replied shortly.

“I was worried because there have been many dangerous incidents around the town lately. I thought you might be caught up in it by coincidence. Can you tell your brother to see me anytime next week?”

And it had come to this again. Even though she was well aware that his brother was the one who was up to no good, she had no other choice since he was all Khun had for a guardian right now. No parents, no other adult supervising him.

“He’s on a business trip right now. I don’t know when he’s going to come home,” Khun said flatly. Ms. Carvalho sighed as she put down the papers she had been holding up until now.

“Do you really have no one else around?”

“Junsu’s family live upstairs.”

“I’ll talk to them, then. You can go to your class now.”

Nichkhun sauntered away and out of the office, still wearing the same old arrogant face he chose the day he was transferred here. Other kids looked at him funny as he passed the corridor to get to his locker. It was not unusual. This time perhaps was mostly because of his limping. He still had about three days until the sutures were removed, or so Nurse Ok told him. He opened the locker and pulled physics textbook out of it. The door suddenly slammed shut. He dodged in time not to receive any damage.

“You certainly got a gut to show up, Thai kid.”

“You certainly got a gut to bother me after the last time,” countered Khun. After all the troubles Willis had to go through to welcome him like this, surely Nichkhun Horvejkul wouldn’t want to disappoint him and his friends. The taller boy’s white, round face reddening instantly. His minions were not much behind. Khun put his book in the satchel before quickly sending a punch to Willis’ face.

“YOU SONOFA—…” Moray hollered, holding his collapsed leader, his eyes screamed _death!_ Khun, however, looked down at them coldly and left. He knew he would not be in trouble this time. Not this time. He wasn’t some weak victim anymore and they should know that. If they didn’t know when to stop, Khun would just have to tell them.

“Khun!” Jay called.

“Hi,” coolly Khun replied without stopping his steps.

“They didn’t show up again, right?” Jay asked, jogging to Khun’s side with slight difficulty (Jay was never a runner, he was always good at other sports—like basketball, which ironically denied Khun completely). Khun leered at him as if Jay had just riddled him.

“I don’t understand your question,” Khun firmly said.

“Aish, Khun! You know,”—Jay flailed his hands and lowered his voice—“those guys with big guns!”

Khun halted and froze. He felt goose bumps all over his body as the memory flooded into his mind. What was that smell? What was that? Something eerily familiar. His wound, open wound, sews, _blood_. It was the smell of fresh blood found among gunpowder and oil and milk and antiseptics. The flash images filled in the blank memory of Khun’s journey to the Kims’ place. Bodies of men in suit were on the floor. Red and black on bright-colored floor. _Red_.

“Khun? Khun?” Jay repeatedly called him, waving a hand in front of Khun’s open, but unblinking eyes. He grew incredibly worried upon receiving no respond. “Oi, Khun! What’s wrong with you? You’re all right, Khun?” The older boy shook him lightly by the arms, but it was no use.

“He… he killed them,” uttered the Thai.

“What? Who?”

Jay never got his answer. Khun fainted.

*****

It was two in the afternoon. Taec, for the first time since he came to stay, was nowhere to be found when Nichkhun came back. Nichkhun was excused to leave earlier than others after he fainted. He sat on the couch, staring blankly at the TV in front of him. He was confused. Yesterday, he had dinner with Taecyeon on that table and then his wound was cleaned and re-bandaged by Taecyeon. Amidst this, about six men in suit broke into the apartment and began to wildly shoot around with big guns. Taecyeon had a gun with him. Nichkhun didn’t see anything. He only heard the constant fires until it ceased. He woke up in his bedroom the next morning and found that nothing had been damaged.

“If it was a dream…” Nichkhun mumbled, playing with the seam of his jacket. Wait, this wasn’t his. It was the same jacket he wore when he woke up. A dark blue jacket with hood and a boxed “JADE” printed in deep green that was two sizes bigger than Nichkhun’s. He tried to smell it. No, the scent left on it was undistinguished. It was musky and calming, but it wasn’t like anything Khun had ever smelled before.

“Whose… this?”

The mystery wasn’t solved.

*****

Junsu picked him up later in the afternoon to accompany him shop groceries. Taecyeon was still out and Nichkhun was never allowed to deny this request—Junsu’s mom actually asked him the first time he was dragged into this since Junsu’s English wasn’t any good that time. The promise became permanent now. Although Nichkhun would not admit it, he actually liked doing groceries. It was one of his precious memories with his mother, who took him shop every other weekend when he was still young like any other mother. The market was nearby and they always went there for pretty much anything.

As per usual, Junsu would go around with a cart, supposedly going around finding things his mother had put on the list, but this time he stopped in front of the magazine shelf first. It made Khun curious.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m curious…” Junsu replied vaguely as he picked up an opened female teen magazine. He turned the page rapidly and stopped when he found the sparkly, girly title that said: ARE YOU FATED FOR HIM? LOOK INTO YOUR ASTROLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND TAKE A GLANCE OF YOUR FATE!

Girls out there, really, thought Khun. They liked things like this. As if it was worth noting at all, really. Junsu jumped straight to his sign, of course. He sighed and mumbled in disappointment: “Greatest overall compatibility is with either Taurus or Virgo, and best for marriage and partnerships is Cancer. Why can’t it be Pisces?”

At the mention of his zodiac sign, Khun’s ears perked. If Khun remembered correctly, Ok Taecyeon’s birthday was some time after Christmas, which meant he had same sign as Junsu, right? He slithered away just to show that he wasn’t interested. When Junsu finally began to shop for real, Khun surreptitiously came back and read the magazine.

It was true! Cancer’s best match for marriage and partnerships was Capricorn. Khun didn’t know why should he be happy about nonsense like this, but whatever—his sign was meant to connect closely to Taec’s sign! This must be heaven’s design! Someone was about to pass the alley, so hurriedly Khun threw back the magazine to its place and fled the scene before anyone saw him reading that.

 Khun wandered around on his own until he was bored. He noticed that meat price had increased by 50 cents since the last time he saw it (two weeks ago) and chicken thighs were somehow cheaper by 10 cents. Nichkhun saw promotional signs from Labor Day sale were abandoned where they were for absolutely no reason. _Just wait until it is time for Halloween décor_ , he thought.

Khun walked through the coffee and tea alley. He sighed at the neatly arranged metal boxes of tea. He turned and sighed at the beautifully packed various types of coffee. It was quite depressing that the only kind he could buy right now was a box of instant coffee, five sachets each. Being poor was hard—being abandoned was stupid and hard!

“My sweet little brother likes coffee. I think going with Arabica will never go wrong.”

The voice startled Khun. Out of the blue, a woman was next to him, pondering out loud to decide which coffee blend she would buy. The woman was rather tall for a Korean woman. She was nearly taller than Khun (who was at the time getting nearer to 5′5″, Jay was worried that eventually Khun would pass his height). She wore expensive and stylish designer dress, topped with faux-fur coat. It was totally over the top, but it suited her. Khun inched away slowly. Everything about this woman told him to stay away. He decided that it was time to reunite with Junsu, whether or not he was done with the list. Junsu was surprised to see him back so early, though.

“I still have to get rice. Can you help me, Khunnie?” Junsu batted his eyes distastefully that Khun wanted to puke just from looking at him.

“Call me ‘Khunnie’ again and I’ll make you ‘Junnie’!” threatened Khun with fist rose. He still went to get the pack of rice anyway. He dropped the heavy sack onto the cart without thinking, causing it bounce and roll away. It bumped to some leather-jacket-wearing guy who glared hotly at them.

“Sorry!” Junsu automatically said. Nichkhun, the proud troublemaker, would not open his mouth. He had witnessed something bad. The shopping-cart-collision-victim’s hand held a big, magenta purse. Although Khun didn’t like to be presumptuous over how a man’s wallet should be, this was suspicious. Then, he saw again the woman from earlier. Her bag’s zip was slightly opened. Khun chased the man and grabbed his arm.

“Khun, what are you doing?” Junsu warned, but Khun didn’t care.

“Give it back,” he demanded.

“What did you say, motherfucker? Get your hands off me!” the man spat, pulling his arm back and forth to shake off Khun’s grasp.

“I said give the purse back to its owner, you dipshit!” Khun said loudly. Everyone nearby now had eyes on them.

“This is mine! Fuck off!”

The man pushed Khun and punched him. It was uncalled for. Therefore, two big men arrived at the scene just in time. They held the man as they forcefully took the purse out of his hand. The woman gracefully approached them. The purse was once again in her hands.

“This can’t be yours,” she said in surprisingly calm voice. She fished out an ID card and swung it in front of the pickpocket’s eyes. “If so, then you should be a female _and_ a Korean. Anyone can see that you are neither, you little shit.” The way she annunciated the monologue was arguably dangerous. She slapped the man across the face without hesitation.

“ _Noonim_ , _we’ll take him to the cops now_ ,” one of the big men said in Korean.

“ _No, just dump him outside. I don’t have time for testifying against him right now._ ”

“ _As you wish, Noonim_.”

She swiveled gracefully and walked toward Khun and Junsu with a smile. The boys looked at each other, anticipating. The woman was no ordinary woman; they could say that much from witnessing her strange control over two big men in suit and sunglasses. Khun was confident that he had done the right thing, but what if she then proposed some weird reward for him? What would Khun do if she said that Khun should marry her? Yes, silly thoughts, you might say, but think again! This could be true, right? (As if.)

“You really saved me back there, kiddo,” she said cheerfully. “I’ll pay for your grocery. Buy whatever you want.”

“Uh, really?” Junsu asked with glimmering eyes.

“Not you,” harshly the woman shot Junsu down. Junsu looked at the floor. “I’ll buy you one ice cream, though.”

“Yes!” Junsu’s face lighted up again. Khun thought of how cheap his friend was.

“I can really buy anything I want?”

“Yes.”—she nodded—“I saw you were interested in tea. Would you want to buy one? I’ll pay it for you.”

Well, now that Khun was told to pick whatever he wanted…

“Here,” the woman put a pack of frozen back bacon on top of Khun’s choices of greed and gluttony (two packs of _wurst_ , a pack of meat, a pack of chicken breasts, three buckets of ice cream, and a box of Twinning’s complete variant collection).

“Is this not too much, Miss?” Khun asked out of courtesy. The woman chuckled.

“Are you really going to ask that now?”

“No… I guess?”

The woman smiled and said, “Hmph, ‘No’ it is.”

There was something about this woman that reminded Khun of someone he knew. There was uncanny similarity in her vibe and attitude—but who? He could not put a finger on it. He parted ways with the woman and her two bodyguards. Junsu told him that it was possible that the woman was related to Taecyeon’s group, judging from the way her bodyguards address her. Khun shrugged it off. As long as it did not mean anything bad for him, he would not mind it. Not now—but later, he would.


	9. Closer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected incident happens and strangely it helps Khun to be more comfortable around Taec. Somehow, the embarrassing incident makes them... closer.

He was surprised that he found Taecyeon sitting at the couch when he came back from shopping with Junsu as if he never left. Khun might have mistaken, but he was quite sure that Taec’s current position was exactly the same as his position when Khun left for school this morning. It was as if Taec tried to create an illusion that he had never gone—but he didn’t know Khun had come home before this and found the apartment was empty. Khun chose not to mention it—he preferred to stay in the dark.

“You’re back,” greeted Taec. Immediately he noticed the white grocery bag. “Oh, you brought groceries?”

“I—I got lucky,” said Khun, hastily going to the kitchenette. Taec rose to his feet and followed Khun because he was a mischievous cat.

“Oh, nice,” he cooed at the sight of meat and ice cream. “Whoa, the tea looks like something my sister would buy. The bacon! One of my favorites. Where did you buy them? Oh, you have good meat, too. Mind if I cook them?”

“No—I can’t cook anyway.”

“That’s about it, what about you cook with me?”

“Huh? Are—are you sure? I might blow up the place.”

“Come now, no one is _that_ bad at cooking. Moreover, you look like someone who will be a very good cook, though. Trust me.”

“Okay…”

Nichkhun let Taecyeon take the pack of meat and begin the preparation for dinner. He waited quietly by the refrigerator, clueless about what he had to do to help. Taec put the meat out to thaw and then he leered at Khun. With his trademark grin, he pointed:

“You’re still wearing my jacket, huh? That one is my autumn favorite. I miss wearing it. Comfy and warm, but also cool, right?”

“This?”

Khun looked down at his own chest. He was still wearing the JADE jacket because he liked it even though it puzzled him greatly. He instantly blushed. It was not surprising now. The size was bigger than anyone he knew, save for Taecyeon whose height was 6′1″ and weight 180 lbs. The real question was:

“Why am I wearing this?”

“When you fell asleep last night, you looked cold. I tried to find a clean jacket among yours, but I couldn’t find any, so I thought you could use mine for the time being. I can’t believe you actually wear it throughout the day.”

“I—I’ll give it back to you,” Khun stuttered. He hurriedly tried to take off the jacket, but Taec only laughed.

“You can keep it for now. I have other jackets with me,”—Taec held up his hand and smiled at Khun with bright, kind eyes—“Now, would you kindly help me cutting the vegetables? I think hot pot for dinner is just perfect.”

“O—okay. What vegetables?” Khun opened the fridge groggily.

“Shiitake mushrooms, cabbage—hmm, is there any _enoki_ left I wonder? Then, we need leeks, scallions, and also take out the _ssukgat_. I’ll start the broth and boil the vermicelli.”

Khun fumbled through the vegetable drawer at the bottom of the fridge. He had no idea what a _ssukgat_ was, so he took a long time squatting there while Taec had begun to measure liquid ingredients for the broth.

“Hey, Khun- _ah_ , you’re awake?” Taec asked, directly behind Khun’s earlobe!

“I’m okay! Ju—just… wondering what _ssuk—ssuk_ …”

“Oh, you don’t know? Sorry, it’s Korean for these greens,” Taec said, reaching out to a bundle of greens that slightly resembled deep green parsley. Khun’s body shivered as the arm brushed his side. It felt as if Taec hugged him from behind. This again—Khun wished this man didn’t stir him so easily like this.

“I—I will wash all first,” said Khun.

“That’s perfect.”

So Nichkhun rolled up the jacket’s sleeves and began to wash the vegetables one by one. He kept his eyes down because he was incredibly self-conscious right now. What was with this situation? Nichkhun could not help but feeling excited and worried. Wasn’t cooking together included in the list of intimate activities? Like, you would cook together with your best friend, siblings, parents, or… lover, right?

“The meat is really good,” said Taec merrily. He was cutting the thawed meat neatly and setting them on a plate. Khun timidly transferred the mushrooms first to the plate along with the meat.

They ate dinner together in peace. Khun, as usual, was very greedy about meat. He actually competed against Taecyeon to eat more meat—well, the meat was a present for him anyway. Taecyeon just followed the routine to humor him. The man seemed deeply entertained watching Khun rebel against him.

*****

Khun went to his room and took the jacket off. He looked around, to make sure that no one was looking, and then he hugged the jacket, inhaling the smell. This belonged to Taec. To think that he would be wearing something Taec own… Khun suddenly felt aroused. _Damn it, Khun, pull yourself together. You can’t fall like this_. He shook his head and threw the jacket onto his bed. He would take a shower now. He opened his drawer and found that there were hardly any clean clothes inside. Khun had just remembered that he had not done the laundry for more than two weeks. He did not pay enough attention earlier, but now that he saw it, his room was quite clean. Why was that? Because his dirty laundry was nowhere to be found (good, now you realized it, Khun?). Khun marched out of the bedroom.

“Where are my clothes?”

Taec was playing some game on his phone as he lied down on the couch. He answered without looking up, tilting and swiping his phone seriously:

“Oh, I had my men come and send those along with mine to the Laundromat.”

He quickly lost the round, so he put it down on top of coffee table. He sat up and transported a carton box from the floor to the table’s top. He said, “I have gathered everything you forgot to take out from your pockets—here.”

Khun hastily approached. He stammered, “B—but why—why would you do that, _Hyungnim_?” The thought of Taec discovering embarrassing things between his clothes was setting Khun on fire.

“Well, because I don’t like seeing a dirty place?” Taec asked back, shrugging his shoulders. “Because I need to have my clothes cleaned?”

“So—sorry.”

“No, I’m sorry,” Taec apologized. “I should have asked you first, but really, Khun, there’s nothing I haven’t seen in this apartment.”

“Wha—?”

Khun feared for his life now. Then, Taec launched a new topic that Nichkhun would never expect from him.

“Khun- _ah_ , you have a girlfriend?”—huh, what?—“You can always bring her around, you know. Don’t mind me, really.”

“Wha—what makes you think so?” Khun panicked. When he thought there would be nothing suspicious or embarrassing Taec could find between his dirty clothes since he was sure he always kept everything in order, just when he thought everything was fine…

“These.”

Taec opened the carton box, revealing none other than Khun’s supposedly hidden toys. There were seven of them: dildos, handcuffs, cock ring, anal plug, ball gag, and a whip… of course, one would be quite embarrassed. They seemed like a bunch of unisex sex toys, but really, who were we trying to kid anyway? Khun wanted to jump out of the window now. He leapt and confiscated the box.

“WHAT? NO!”

“Huh, what’s with your reaction, Khun?” Taec asked neutrally while Khun practically tried to run off. “It’s totally normal. I’m just guessing that you are pretty kinky with all kinds of toys I found here… Say, are you a dom or a sub?” The man smirked. Khun was glowing red. He could not help but screamed:

“NO!”

Seeing Taec’s shocked face, he immediately added, “I mean—no! It’s nothing like that. I, uh… these are mine.” The last part came out weakly, almost inaudible. Taec frowned.

“Sorry, I missed the last part, would you please repeat it?”

Nichkhun walked backward, enraged and traumatized. He shouted, “They are mine! I don’t have a girlfriend! Never!” He ran to his bedroom.

Taec called, “Oh, I’m so sorry! Khun- _aaaaaaaah_ , I’m sorry!” But Khun wouldn’t hear him. He had locked himself in there. Taec scratched the back of his head. “Ah… Now he’s really mad at me.”

*****

It took Khun a Saturday and a Sunday to finally recover from that night’s incident. Ever since the street fight incident, Khun had matured. He realized that running away from Taec was impossible since they lived under the same roof. Hiding was no use too, because that man could find him anywhere he went anyway. He needed food cooked by Taec, too. Also, he must tend his wound carefully, but he knew very little about doing it right, so he needed Taec to do it. Moreover, when time came, he would need Taec to remove the sutures.

Now Khun was getting calmer around the man. Their relationship was definitely better than Khun’s relationship with his own brother. Khun began to feel normal with their routine. He woke up in the morning, ate breakfast, went to school, obediently attended classes, came home on time, and even did his homework. He could have normal conversation with Taec and even he would volunteer to do the dishes after dinner. How weird it was, that their relationship was founded on the knowledge of Khun’s toys.

Tonight’s dinner had finished an hour ago, but it was only eight. Taec was reading his comic books in the living room as usual while Khun was working on his paper about variety of bananas (biology assignment, of course) using Taec’s laptop. Blaring on the speakers connected to Taec’s music player was a groovy song called: “I Heard It Through The Grapevine” by Marvin Gaye. Khun was too young to recognize the song, but he totally was into it. Taec danced along the rhythm without being distracted from his reading material. When the song ended, another song started. This song, however, was in Japanese with beat that invited anyone to clap along; something like Queen’s _We Will Rock You_ , but it had much more pleasant and airy mood than intense, fully motivated one. The vocalist’s voice was powerful and full of charisma, pulling you in easily with his unique singing style.

“You like this song?” Taec asked.

“Yeah. Who’s this?”

“TUBE, a Japanese band dubbed as the symbol of summer. I didn’t know they exist until I heard their song in my favorite anime’s movie. The voice, really.”

“I love the voice, too. I don’t understand a word, though.”

Taec chuckled and said, “You don’t have to understand to love.” _Fuck yeah, Ok Taecyeon, your words really._ Nichkhun couldn’t agree more.

“Say, Khun- _ah_ , are you gay?” Taec asked out of the blue.

“Yeah, so what?” replied Khun unwaveringly.

“Just curious,” said Taec. “I’m bi, if you want to know.”

Oh. Khun abruptly stopped his fingers from typing. This information was as precious as gold right now. Just then, the song ended and Michael Jackson’s _I Just Can’t Stop Loving You_ chimed in like a thief. Talking about having a soundtrack for your life. The combination of the information and the song lyrics stirred Khun’s stomach.

Even though it turned out that Taec wasn’t straight, he was still bisexual—attracted to both genders. It gave Khun hope as much as despair. He looked down. Just like the song said, Khun just couldn’t change the way he saw the man. Even now, he felt even more in love with him. Khun felt foolish.

“When morning awakes me, will you come and take me? I’ll wait for you,” Siedah sang in the background. Talk about being a teenager in love…

He then thought that he should clear things up right now, with this mood, before he himself became too dour to say anything.

“Those toys belonged to my brother’s ex,” he started. Taec straightened up his body and put down his comic book. The music player was turned off so he could listen more attentively. “She used to live here. When they broke up, he threw her out and he told me to throw the toys away, but I was too embarrassed to even bring them out, so I hid them in my room. I got curious one day and I stole my brother’s untouched bottle of gin to soak and clean the toys. I… I… then… use them occasionally.”

Nichkhun did not know what to expect from Taecyeon at this rate. The man only smiled and rubbed his jaw like he was remembering something.

“I see. That’s how it was, huh?”—he chuckled—“I remember your brother came to work completely upset, saying that his gin had disappeared and he beat you for that.”

Khun muttered, “He always beat me in the past. He stopped since I got myself into fights regularly. I guess he is now afraid of me.”

Taec rested his chin on his palm as he trained his eyes on Khun’s face. “I think so, too. You beat up more guys than he could ever do.” This made Khun happy. Then, he remembered about the advertisement.  He rummaged through his pocket and fished out the paper. He unfolded it and showed it to Taec.

“ _Hyungnim_ , you saw this, right?”

The ad on that paper was read:

**MALE DANCERS**

**WANTED**

**TOP CLUB SEEKS FRESH YOUNG TALENT**

**WE PAY TOP RATES!**

**MUSIC:**

**COMMERCIAL, FUNKY HOUSE**

**ELECTRO HOUSE, HIP-HOP.**

**R &B**

_If you are 17+ send a video of yourself_

**_FREESTYLE DANCING_** _for 3 mins to goldamingj @ stalliongold . com_

_For more information, visit our website: StallionGold . com_  
  
---  
  
 

“Yeah,” Taec said, nodding, “it seems a bit familiar for me, I can’t remember where I heard that name, but I know it is a real deal. You are not even seventeen, but if you really want to try it, then you should.” He was always saying things as if he read Khun’s mind.

“You really think so?”

Most people doing this kind of job must be older than seventeen because really, who would let an underage dancer to even get into a club. Khun was taller than boys his age, so he might be able to apply. He wanted this.

“Yeah, follow your heart, kid. Don’t go wasting your youth,” Taec said, sounding extraordinarily old.

“I… I just want to earn some money on my own by doing what I like,” confessed Khun, twiddling with his thumbs.

“And that is good. You are good. You should try it.”

Khun blushed. He had seen the website and he knew what exactly stopped him from applying until today.

“Yeah, I wanted to, but my phone camera’s not good. They want a short video attached for application.”

“Well, that’s what stops you?” Taec asked and Khun nodded timidly in response. Taec smiled. “I can get you a video camera if you want. Rather than using phone, a real camera will be better, right? This laptop is compatible for video processing. You can use it.”

“I—I don’t know how to do any of those,” blurted Khun, immediately feeling sheepish and small.

“Don’t worry. I know. I’ll teach you,” Taec said, patting him on the back.

“If that’s no—no bother, _Hyungnim_ ,” muttered Khun nervously. Just what can’t this man do, really! Khun wondered (Lee Seojin approved this).

“It’s nothing, Khun.” Taec paused for a moment, then he continued, “But isn’t it easier for you to do it with a crew instead of solo?”

“I just… I just don’t want to.”

Taecyeon looked at him with curious eyes, but he didn’t push farther. One of the things that Khun really liked from him: He just knew where and when to stop.

“I see. I won’t ask further about that. I’ll call my friend to get the camera first.”

The man rose and fished out his phone from the pants’ pocket. He slid through the contact list and dialed a number. Khun waited for a second, and then he made up his mind and called:

“ _Hyung_ …”

“Hm?”

Taec turned to him.

“Thanks.”

The friendly smile he showed to Khun was totally to kill for.


	10. Of Friends and Stormy Weather

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things Khun thought he had forgotten suddenly resurfaced.

Thursday. Nichkhun tried to leave the school as soon as possible, but he needed to talk to Jay first. It made Junsu question him of his intention, of course, since Junsu would not leave without him. For most part, it was because his parents had agreed to supervise Nichkhun for the time being until his brother was available to meet Ms. Carvalho, and it naturally fell to Junsu since he was in most suitable position.

“Sorry, man, I got to phone Loco before leaving. So, what’s up?” asked Jay as soon as he was within the duo’s hearing range. They walked together toward the gate. Khun didn’t pay attention and bumped to a lithe, younger teen that was walking in the same direction, but different speed (well, different length of legs, right?).

“Sorry,” Khun mumbled. The kid was startled and mumbled something in a language Khun could not understand. Somehow, Junsu pushed Khun aside and talked to the kid. Khun glared at Junsu momentarily, but he quickly concluded that the kid was Korean, so he kind of forgave his neighbor for pushing him like that. The boy was thin and pale, with small eyes and chubby, rosy cheeks. He was wearing light blue shirt and vibrant yellow jacket that oddly suited him. Junsu patted the kid on the back and jogged to catch up with Khun and Jay.

“Who was that?” Jay asked.

“New transfer student,” Junsu answered. “Poor kid. He doesn’t even know the street where his house is. Good thing his mom will pick him up. His English is so much worse than mine back then.”

“You should tutor him,” Khun coldly suggested, much to Junsu’s dismay since it was clearly to jeer him than to genuinely, sincerely recommend him as a tutor. Jay shook his head and brought them back to previous topic.

“I need a three-minute choreography, Jay,” Khun said straightforwardly.

“For what?”

“I’m going to try for an audition.”

“Oh, nice!” Jay praised.

“How come you didn’t tell me first?!” Junsu protested. Khun shoved him away and Junsu just laughed it off.

“Can you help me a bit, Jay? I don’t know where to begin,” Khun asked solemnly.

“Sure,” Jay replied, shrugging. “I’ll send some good videos to you later, ‘kay?”

“That’s fine with me, but why do you seem in a hurry?”

“I have to meet up with Loco. I have some studying to do,” said Jay, pointing at a red car parked across the street.

“It’s Sam, isn’t it?” Junsu uttered.

“Yeah, later, guys.”

“Hey, Jay!” Khun called.

“What?”

“Can I come over this weekend?”

“Sure, just text me!”

Jay hopped off toward the car. Khun and Junsu resumed their walk without minding it too much. Khun shouted out to Jay, reminding him not to forget the promised videos. They went separate ways. They always did since Jay lived in a condo up on Fulton Street. Sam Charlton was one of Jay’s neighbors as well as his crew members. Khun didn’t know much about Sam or Loco, but enough to know they were decent human-beings (I, too, consider you as a decent human being, Khun).

“What studying he’s going to do with Loco?” Junsu commented, being totally skeptical about the brief explanation.

“That’s the question.”

Khun’s phone vibrated. He took it out and swiped the lock. Jay sent him a message—and Junsu was spying behind him. The message said: “Don’t tell me you enter that audition because Ok-Boss said you should.” Khun’s face turned sour.

“Oh, that’s true, right, Khun?” teased Junsu. Khun elbowed him.

“No!”

“You’re red, so it’s true.”

“I’m not red and it’s not true!”

“Don’t be shy, Khun. I’d do anything for Rose, too. Hahaha!”

“Rose who?” asked Khun, totally clueless. Junsu sighed and accused him with his upset look.

“I know you don’t like girls, but really? You don’t know Rose?”

“Who, Rose Pendleton?”—Khun stopped and frowned, quickly revising his own words without waiting for Junsu’s respond—“Wait, something’s not right. Oh, that’s Erina.”

“Khun, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“She’s Jonathan Joestar’s wife,” Khun explained blandly. His Korean friend narrowed his eyes, watching him thoughtfully. He didn’t understand whatever Khun had just spouted now. He sighed.

“What did _Hyungnim_ make you read or watch or listen? He has odd taste for all things—I don’t know who influenced him in the first place, though. Whatever. He is really getting into your head! And here I think your head is the thickest head I ever know.”

“Shut your trap, jerk!”

Junsu went “lalala” in response, disrupting Khun’s voice effectively. Sometimes Khun wished it was Jay who lived upstairs not this joker.

But Junsu was right. Nichkhun listened to Taec’s favorite songs, read his favorite books as well as comic books, watched his favorite movies, and listed his favorite food and beverages. Everything about Taec had occupied his mind better than any other knowledge. Yet, Khun felt that he hadn’t known enough. Jay was right, too. Nichkhun would never find enough courage to sign up if not for Taec’s encouragement. He never knew how much an adult’s support gave impacts on young people’s confidence and motivation until now. Peer’s support was nice, but really, one adult’s boosted the effect incredibly.

*****

The angle was not good. Khun tried to adjust it better before starting the recording. He was wearing grey sweatpants and red jacket. He purposely left out the snapback he liked the most because Taec said it would be best for him to let them see his face clearly. He pushed the recording button and said:

“This is Nichkhun Horvejkul’s three-minute dance for Stallion Gold audition.”

The music started. Khun moved along with the rhythmic beats. First nod it off, he thought. His body began to move smoothly, following the sweet melody of the song. When he decided to pick lyrical dance for this, he didn’t think that it would be this good. Or so Taec said when he was teaching Khun how to edit his video.

“I love your moonwalk, Khun, it’s so good,” he had said. Khun was blushing madly just from hearing that. “I know you’re good,” added Taec. His hand stole the chance to ruffle Khun’s hair. Khun protested loudly, automatically swatting Taec’s hand away.

“Stop it, _Hyungnim_! Don’t mess with my hair!”

“You’re not going anywhere; no one’s going to see your messy hair!” Taec defended himself, effectively hooking an arm around Khun’s shoulders and pulling him close as he grinned widely. Khun was too dumbstruck by the sudden skin-ship that he forgot he should be rebelling against this, too. In the end, they got back to talk about dancing.

“Jay tried to teach me break-dance, but turned out I was not strong enough, I am still not strong enough—it’s super hard—so I did something else that doesn’t require me being upside down,” explained Khun without asked.

“It takes more than strength, Khun, but you can do anything as long as you keep trying. Don’t worry about it,” said Taec, positively beaming.

Khun sent a message to Jay later:

_Won’t u teach me break-dance again?_

Jay was always suspicious—his eyes were always open, that jerk really. He was too damn sharp when it came to things like this.

_Sure. U always whined about how hard it was, tho. Why?_

_Did Ok-Boss encourage u or sumthin? Wait, don’t answer that._

_U’ll always evade it. lol_

To conclude the round, Junsu suddenly messaged him, too. It was obvious that Jay forwarded the messages to him and Khun began to think of finding new friends (although you clearly don’t know where to find any, right?)

_Told ya. Love conquers all! lol_

Khun’s reply to both of them was very short.

_U 2 r not my friends!_

*****

Nichkhun was playing with his robots in the playpen. It was such an intense war between Evil Lord Tiramisu and the hero Megacocoman. There were explosion, screams, siren, and loud announcement for evacuation. The Evil Lord Tiramisu had the upper hand at the moment and the hero was down, falling backward. The Buck Building was reduced into ruins because of that.

“Oh, no! Megacocoman!” a woman shouted dramatically at the falling of the hero.

“Don’t worry, he will save us!” a boy said confidently. He believed in their hero. He believed that their hero would never fail!

“Die!”

The robot was broken in an instant. The head was severed, smashed under a hammer. Nichkhun cried. A face-less girl appeared before him.

“Khunnie baby, don’t cry,” she said with such a sweet voice. She scooped the crying boy into her arms and rocked him back and fro. “It’s just a robot. It’s just a robot,” she chanted over and over. Nichkhun didn’t stop crying.

“Hush, hush, what did I tell you? You can cry but you must keep it quiet. I told you, right, Khunnie baby? You were loud, that’s why I had to break your Megacocoman,” she spoke again with an impossibly deceiving sweet smile and warm tone. “I don’t like loud noises. If you don’t want me to punish you, you will promise me that you will not repeat this, okay?” Nichkhun nodded, still quietly sobbing in her arms. She smiled widely and gently put him down. She caressed his hair.

“That’s a good boy. I won’t take you to the bathroom today since you are good.”

But Nichkhun wouldn’t stop crying. He just didn’t cry loudly. The girl left him alone once again. Nichkhun shivered. He was afraid. He wished his parents would come home soon. He wished his brother would come home soon. He wished the girl would go away forever.

“ _Khun_ ,” someone called him, but when he looked around, he couldn’t find anyone. Nichkhun searched the empty room. There was only him and his furniture there, but the voice called him again and again. It was a voice of an adult man. He wanted to call back, but his own voice wouldn’t come out. If he answered loudly, she would come. She would take him to the bathroom.

“ _Khun-ah_.”

It sounded familiar.

“ _Khun-ah!_ ”

It warmed up Nichkhun’s shivering body and fearful heart.

“ _Khun-ah, wake up!_ ”

His eyes snapped open. He was drenched in sweat and horribly tired. His heart was racing against sound and his breath heavy. Hovering above him was a worried Taec in his sleeping wear. Nichkhun groggily sat up—he realized that he cried in his sleep.

“You’re all right?” Taec asked, concerned.

“Just had a bad dream,” replied Khun.

It was the worst dream for him. He had forgotten it, but it came back to haunt him just like The Overlook for Danny. He wanted to vomit, remembering all the days he had to spend with the girl—one whose face he did not remember. The bathroom was probably the reason he hated teenage girls the most. He wouldn’t even look at them.

“You were crying in your sleep. Are you sure you’re now alright?”

“Yeah. Thanks for waking me up.”

“Your cry was quiet, but I got a feeling that I should check on you when I suddenly woke up earlier.”

“Were you watching me sleep?”

“No, you always lock your bedroom when you go to bed. I have to pick the lock.”

“Why?”

“Because I just had a feeling.”

“How was it possible?”

It didn’t sound logical. The way Taec always found him, the way he always knew Khun’s mind. It was like… but it could not be, right? Taec sat on the bed next to Khun, facing him.

“I don’t know,” he said, shrugging. “I just _feel_ it. Like, a twinkle or something, in King’s book. You know, right?”

Khun nodded. He knew, of course, it was one of his summer reading materials. The movie was well known, too. Taec pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped sweat and tears from Khun’s face.

“I’d say it is my Horvejkul radar,” he said, chuckling to himself. “It’s so useful since you brothers always get into trouble.” Khun wanted to say that it was better for him to forget about the radar leading to his brother—and instead just use the radar exclusively for Khun, but he could not say that now.

“You’re weird, _Hyung_.”

“I know,” Taec answered quickly. “Are you going back to sleep now?”

“I… I think I’ll drink some water first.”

“How about hot chocolate? I’ll whip up a cup for you, come.”

It was never really an offer with Ok Taecyeon. He decided it for both of them even before he was done promoting the offer. Khun lazily followed the energetic man, dragged by the wrist out of his bed.

So, now Khun was sitting at the breakfast table, a cup of hot chocolate in hand, Taecyeon mirrored him across the table. Outside the weather began to worsen. They lived near the sea and everyone knew America was a home to countless storms. Taec had mentioned earlier, as he poured chocolate into two mugs from a saucepan, that there might be thunderstorm tonight according to the weathercast.

“It’s really pouring down outside,” Taec noted calmly. Khun nodded. He himself hated storms, especially the ones accompanied by thunder and lightning. He had terrible experience with it. He composed himself, coolly sipping the hot chocolate and judging the taste quietly.

“It might be Thor or Zeus up there. Who do you prefer?” Taec started a discussion.

“Zeus, I guess?” Khun replied nonchalantly. “He’s the king of gods.”

“Ah, but if it is a matter of sovereignty, Zeus’s equal is Odin, Thor’s father.”

“Why did you compare Thor to Zeus, then?” Khun sniped. Taec let out peals of laughter. He drank his share of choco before explaining fondly:

“Because they hold the power over storm and thunder. Well, also because I personally think Odin is above Zeus.”

“And why?” Khun honestly didn’t know much about Norse mythology. They didn’t teach it at school, but Greek mythology was the basest form of tales they were told to study. Greek and Roman alike.

“Because Odin is the embodiment of ambiguity and lust for knowledge. He is cunning, mysterious, and he plays by his own rules. He is complicated. He is a warrior but also a shaman—it is not quite honorable for Germanic men for practicing shaman because for them it is a womanly expertise. He is not exactly noble, but he is the kinda god that will appreciate people like me the most. I will always side with Odin, the Allfather.”

“Where did you read this?” Khun found it quite interesting. He didn’t know about the tree or why being a sorcerer was deemed special in Norse mythology, but surely there was explanation for it. Taecyeon smiled, recognizing his interest.

“I studied about it, but there are a lot of books about that. Also, there is THOR comic book series.”

“It’s amazing that you learned so much from comic books,” muttered Khun in plain amazement. Taec chuckled and nodded. He said in return:

“I said so, but they didn’t believe me. One learns more from a well-made entertainment product than formal education classes because it engages someone emotionally. It grabs their interest and pulls them in—resulting in they want to know more. I always say that, but only a few actually believe me.”

“When I said I wanted to play ‘American Conquest’ before I worked on my history assignment, Junsu opposed it vehemently,” spilled Khun, turning his mug round and round with both hands.

“Asians have strict standards and perspectives about education. I myself was surprised that I can detach myself from such expectation and rigidness.”

“Studying means dying for me.”

“Unless you love it, you will not find it in yourself to know more about anything.”

_Just like how I love you and how I would love to know so much more about you_. Khun’s words ended up being a whisper to his own heart and he was thankful that he did not utter any of those words through his very lips. It was embarrassing.

A comfortable silence then enveloped them both as the storm finally hit the town. Khun felt uneasy. He remembered a cold day back in California when he was merely a child. He was lost and alone. It was a terrible storm. He waited in front of a closed parlor. The lightning struck and thunder rumbled. He curled in fear with hands on his ears. He had never been able to forget the haunting recollection. All that he thought he had cast away never actually vanished.

“Hey, Khun- _ah_ , can I ask you something?” Taec broke the silence first. He had finished his chocolate and he rose to his feet to wash the mug. Khun shrugged, lifting the mug with his both hands toward his lips. Taec saw him and decided that it was green light.

“Why did your parents leave?”

The question was fairly common. It was bound to be asked after knowing him for a certain range of time. Junsu did, about six months after they were friends. Jay, too. However, Khun was skeptical about this man. A man with unlimited resources like him bluntly asked an underling like Khun such background question that should be easily gained by contacting someone. Khun did not want to immediately provide him an answer, but the man did not seem to be in a hurry to get his answer, too. Taec hanged the mug on the rack. He sat back on his chair across Khun and waited patiently. It became unbearable for Khun to deny him the truth. What was the harm, anyway?

“They said loads of sh—lies around the real reasons, but I know exactly why,”  
 Khun started as he put down his mug. “They left just two weeks after my brother begged for money because he had to pay his debts and just a week after they found out I am gay.”

It still stung badly anytime Khun remembered it. The moment he came home from school and all he found was a note attached to a brown envelope in the living room. The moment he realized that it was partially his fault—his fault because he liked men, not women. Mostly was his brother’s ballooning amount of debts, but Nichkhun played a part in it, too.

“Oh, did they… get mad?” Taec asked, surprised.

“My mother cried every night after that,” Khun explained flatly, “and my father just would not talk to me—he still does not talk to me.” The only ones talked to Khun were his little sisters, and occasionally his mother, like before. His father never once talked to Khun after they left the States.

“How did they find out?” Taec inquired, his lofty eyebrows met at the center once again as he frowned. “You were only thirteen at that time, right?”

Lightly, Khun replied as if it was perfectly normal: “My mom walked in on me masturbating to gay porn.”

“Oh, my,” exclaimed Taec.

“What about you?” Khun fired back the same question. “You are bi, you said.”

Taec was even more relaxed than Khun when he replied. It truly seemed that sexual orientation was never his parents’ main concern.

“I came out clean with my family. My parents just said, ‘Get married to a fine woman and bear a son, or bang random girls to get a bastard son or two. As long as you produce an heir, we don’t care about whom you love or live with’. My family is super understanding, but also incredibly fucked up. I love them.”

He laughed. Khun was greatly envious of Taec. His life was imperfect, but in a sense, it was flawless.

Then, they found themselves sitting on the couch, watching middle-aged Brad Pitt talk on a phone booth at the airport, being told that his younger son had passed away. It was quite amazing that Khun’s brother owned such movie in his DVD collection (Blu-Ray era, people, but the Horvejkul brothers were stuck in DVD era _forever_!). Taec was immensely absorbed into it, but Khun’s brain wasn’t able to process the depth of this movie, especially with thunderous weather outside. Suddenly, the lights were out.

“Oh!”

Taecyeon looked up, Khun gasped. Khun wasn’t afraid of dark, but the problem was the lightning and thunder outside. It was now incredibly noticeable and it was hard to pretend. Khun jumped slightly when the flashlight of heavens struck through the dark sky. The rain heavily attacked the windows, as if trying to pierce through the thick glass.

“I’ll check the—”

Taecyeon intended to leave, but then he noticed the teen was trying hard to hide his fear. He saw it through the round eyes when lightning came down again, clearly. He suddenly laid his head on Khun’s shoulder. It could not be comfortable since the height gap was quite prominent.

“ _Hyungnim_?” Khun’s voice was quiet.

“Lend me your shoulder for a bit, Khun, will you? I’m tired.”

“If—if you’re tired, then… go to sleep!” said Khun, bewildered. His heartbeat increased dramatically. Taec’s head was heavy, but Khun did not mind it.

“I will,” said the older. “Later.”

“ _Hyungnim_ … you’re heavy,” Khun said. He was trying hard not to go crazy. He wanted to touch the head so badly. That hair, that jaw, those eyebrows—his fingertips itched to feel them all. _This man is impossible!_ He thought.

“There was this year when I studied in California,” Taec began unexpectedly, “It was a bad year. Storm was bad in there that year. I was wandering around the lesser known parts of the town when storm hit the town. The objective was to escape from my dad’s henchmen, of course. I met a boy who was sobbing in front of a closed pastry shop. He didn’t want to talk to me because he was told to never talk to stranger, so I waited there with him. I thought he was getting picked up, but after two hours, as storm finally calmed down, no one ever came for him. He fell asleep out of tiredness. I ended up calling my dad’s henchmen so I could escort the kid home. His parents didn’t know that he was missing—they thought he was at his friend’s house—but they looked relieved despite perhaps knowing who I was. If it was anyone else, I don’t want to even imagine how he would end up.”

The story sounded familiar, Khun thought, but it was also very cliché, so he did not want to make assumptions. When he was busy thinking, Taec had fallen asleep. He slid off Khun’s shoulder and fell onto Khun’s lap. Thunder roared mightily outside, but gradually the sound got farther. In Khun’s mind, this bad weather was already miles away. He could even feel grateful every time lightning struck. It provided him good lighting to see Taec’s sleeping face. He smiled to himself and sighed. He reached out shyly, backing away for a few times until he landed his right hand on Taec’s head. He caressed the hair, remembering that it tickled him as well as comforted him with its smooth and clean surface. He dared himself to touch the big ear. _How big and wide…_ And he went to touch the jaw. _It is as sturdy as it looks…_ Khun stopped there and resorted back to caress the hair.

When he woke up, he was in his bedroom again. He blushed instantly as he thought of how he fell asleep. He didn’t exactly remember how it was, but he knew Taec woke up and brought him here. What a shame, Khun was always asleep when Taec manhandled him. Really, what was the meaning of skin-ship if you weren’t aware of it?

When he thought about it, he felt that it was embarrassing, but also strangely comforting. Khun, who feared storms, fell into slumber in the middle of raging storm. If he didn’t know better, he would have said that what Taec did was orchestrated to make him forget about his fear of storms. However, it could not be true. It was a coincidence (but, baby, nothing’s a coincidence!).

He left his bed and peeked through the door. Taec wasn’t in the kitchenette. Khun tiptoed toward the breakfast table.

“You’re up?”

Taec’s question froze Khun on the spot. He turned and found Taec in front of bathroom’s door, holding a towel in one hand, another hand closing the door behind him. Khun cringed at his stupid teenager libido that made him disappointed by the fact Taec did not come out bathroom with only a towel around his waist (what, you are expecting it?).

“It’s almost seven thirty, Khun, we’re breakfasting as soon as you clean up, okay?” Taec said warmly. Khun could only nod as Taec went into Nichan’s room where he had been sleeping all this time.


	11. Bait on Hook

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Khun should have known, hanging with a gangster boss costs his safety. While having a seemingly normal day with Jay (as they were waiting for Junsu to come), two gatecrashers arrived. The last thing Khun wanted for his day.

People always got too excited every Friday. It was a common misconception, in Khun’s opinion, that it was as exciting as for everyone else. To be fair, Khun’s big brother could have days off anytime, but also he had to get back to work at one moment of notice. Mothers worked 24/7 and third world population must think of holidays more mythical than their local myths. Khun had known that Fridays meant little for him since he was five. His parents worked hard even in weekends. His mother then quit her job and focused on raising her children. Shame that the sweetness did not last.

Khun walked alone today since Junsu seemed to have found the thing he wanted to do—the Singing Poets Club had just been opened today. Khun was offered to join, but he felt that his poems sucked—but he also said that he might considered it if they somehow managed to own a piano for their club so Khun would be able to play the piano for them. As Khun passed the gate, he saw the same kid from the other day, waiting alone nervously.

“If I were Junsu, I’d wait with him,” he muttered. Junsu’s brother was probably of the same age as that kid. This brother, however, quickly made his way around the town and made tons of friends, he did not need his brother to look after him.

So, Khun went home alone, avoiding every human being on the street. He might not be aware, but he was actually quite popular. Girls were attracted to him, immensely if one must emphasize. He was a beautiful boy after all, even though he might not think so. Khun, on contrary, thought that the constant giggles and huddled chatters of girls around him were constructed with jeers, mockery, gossips, and everything bad. This was the reason Khun did not have any idea about Junsu’s Rose or Jay’s Jessica (although it is quite shocking that you don’t know Jessica Alba, Khun).

Just before he entered his apartment building, his phone vibrated. He fished it out of his jacket’s pocket. The number was not listed in his contacts. It seemed peculiar, but it was clearly an office phone from Boston area, so Khun picked it up.

“Hello.”

“Hello, good afternoon, is this Mr. Nichkhun Horvejkul?” a man’s voice replied.

“Yes.”

“It’s James Goldaming from Stallion Gold. We’ve seen your video and we would like to know if you could come for audition next Wednesday.”

“Oh, of course!”

Nichkhun’s eyes went wide. He made it!

“Wonderful! Please check your e-mail for the schedule details. Good afternoon.”

“Yes, thank you!”

Khun had never felt this happy before. He shoved the phone back to his pocket and ran into the building. He waited for the elevator giddily. He wanted to quickly begin practicing. He wanted to start arranging choreography. He wanted to tell Taecyeon about this. He entered the apartment with a beaming face and a loud:

“ _Hyungnim_!”

It caught on Taec’s ears immediately. Unlike his usual routine, today Taecyeon was busy polishing and cleaning a set of metal equipments that were laid neatly on a leather belt. He trained his eyes on Khun’s curiously bright expression.

“You look unusually happy—what’s up?” Taec asked with teasing tone that dangerously waited for its turn at the tip of his tongue. Khun walked toward him like a penguin, playing a five-year-old brat bragging about something but acting mysterious about it.

“Guess!”

“Hmm,”—Taecyeon visibly tried to show how serious he attempted to guess—“Did a boy you like confess to you?” Khun’s hand automatically found a pillow to throw at Taec’s head, which sadly failed at fulfilling its duty and went straight to the floor (because Ok Taecyeon had beastly reflexes, yes).

“Guess again!”

“You get a thousand bucks prize?”

“No, but that would be nice,” Khun said, dropping his bum on the couch next to Taec, leaning onto Taec’s sturdy arm. He pouted while looking up with his adorable brown eyes, but unfortunately went unnoticed by the man since he was terribly focused on his handy work.

“Well, then, what is it? I can’t think of anything else,” Taec told him, faking a defeat. Khun pushed him with his entire body, pouting harder.

“You knew, didn’t you?”

“Knew what?”

“That I got the audition?”

“Well, it’s not a surprise at all, Khun!” Taec exclaimed, laughing. Khun shoved the man, feeling ridiculed. Taec only tilted slightly before reverting to his initial position. He suddenly stopped and stared at Khun’s face.

“What? Why—why are you looking at me like that?” Khun stuttered, evading eye-contact. Taec let go off the cloth he used to clean the scissors and reached out to Khun’s forehead. He set Khun’s bang aside and then started laughing harder. “You got the same caterpillars on your face!”

“Don’t laugh at my eyebrows!” Khun yelled, hopelessly blushing and trying to put his bang back to his forehead. There was a reason he always styled his hair with long bang! Taecyeon continuously laughed while muttered the word caterpillars every now and then. Khun went from saying, “Stop laughing!” in a threatening voice to a pitiful begging voice—which unfortunately was found incredibly cute by Taecyeon, hence he did not even try to stop (thanks for that, Taec).

“Sorry, sorry,” said Taec in the end, although it did not sound like he was feeling contrite at all. “Your eyebrows are cute.”

“Shut up! Your eyebrows are not less thick than mine!”

“But yours on your face make quite an extraordinary combination!”

“I’m not gonna respond to that,” ultimately Khun declared, pouting and looking away (Nichkhun’s sulking card: activated; ATK: +100, DEF: -5). Taec chuckled, but he then ignored Khun and resumed his work (Super Focused Ok Taecyeon card: activated; ATK: 0, DEF: >9000!). He was super mean! So Khun thought.

He finally grew up within a few minutes and diverted his attention to the scissors and equipments. If his memory served him right, Taec used some of those on the table while attending his wound. Taec put down the scissors and turned to Khun.

“I’m going to remove your stitches today,” said Taec.

“Oh.”

“Take off your pants,” commanded Taec.

This, of course, set Khun’s face on fire. Despite knowing what it was all about, Khun still felt shy. He had showed Taec his legs every single day since because the man cleaned and replaced the bandage every day, and yet Khun was still nervous.

The nurse took a peculiarly shaped scissors, which one of its blades had a half-round hole at it, (widely known as _Spencer scissors_ , peasants) and a tweezers (when will you learn, Khun?). He dipped balls of cotton in rubbing alcohol and put them in a small bowl. As Khun finished putting off his pants, Taec attentively peeled the adhesive band he supposedly chose after he considered Khun’s wound had begun to close neatly. He cleaned the wound and stitches, then he pinched the first stitch with his tweezers, one that was closer to him. He cut the thread using the odd looking scissors and pulled it out carefully. It felt strange, Khun thought. The cut suture now resided with used cotton ball. Taec repeated the process until he removed the last. He was practically teasing Khun’s bare thigh with his muscled chest now.

“All done,” uttered Taec as he put an adhesive band-aid to cover the newly freed closed wound, right after the rubbing alcohol evaporated from Khun’s skin.

“Thanks, _Hyungnim_ ,” demurely Khun murmured.

He immediately wore his pants back while Taec wrapped up his surgical kit. Afterward, Khun wasted no time and commenced his practice for the audition. He only stopped for meal, constantly reminded by the boss since he had become negligent.

*****

Saturday morning greeted Khun freshly unlike any other day, specifically this morning. There were plenty on his plate and he currently focused on that. He exited the room joyfully, uncharacteristically. Taec could not help but chuckle. He reeled in the routine of teasing as soon as Khun joined him at the breakfast table. Although, before Khun could escape duty and dwell in his practice world, he caught a sight of a neat box on coffee table, filled by series of needles and various spools of thread.

“ _Hyung_ , what’s that?” he asked. Taecyeon was sewing back a button that belonged to a white shirt. He casually answered:

“That is my sewing kit, Khun- _ah_. I can’t get out of my house without my first aid, surgical, and sewing kits. They always come in handy.”

Taec used a peculiar small pair of scissors to cut the thread. It was of U shape and its blades were sharp-pointed, much sharper than regular scissors. It functioned efficiently as one just had to clutch it to cut something. Khun saw another of the likes in the box, reserved prettily and carefully in a transparent little box. He picked it up along with the box. Distinctively, the one in the box had slimmer body with noticeably sharper blades and darker overall shade. The unequal shape of it bodyline implied that it was hand-crafted. There were also words patented below each blade. Khun could not read them—all Chinese characters.

“This is interesting.”

“Good taste,” commented Taec as he smoothed the shirt with his hand. “That’s a pair of Japanese snips, _nigiri-basami_. Finest Japanese snips you could find to date from Watanabe Blade! It’s so much easier and more efficient to use, you can even hide them in your palms.”

Taec put the shirt aside folded tidily and he snatched the little box off of Khun’s grasp. He took it out and demonstrated how easily it vanished from sight once it was in his hand. The fool grinned confidently, but Khun rolled his eyes, feeling incredibly skeptical.

“What are you trying to teach me, _Hyung_?” interrogated Khun, based on a perfectly sound reason. Taec skirted around the jabbed question as he returned the precious snips, and substituted it with the one he previously utilized. That one had blue handle and normally shiny blades. The model was different, although the function could not much differ.

“Haha, just hold on to this one,” offered he. “It’s just a cheap yarn scissors, but it’s still very sharp.”

Khun, confused, was left with no option. He had to accept the offer. He controlled his raging heart and hitching breath, solely caused by Taec’s sudden move toward him, and stuttered: “Wait—you’re really telling me to…!”

Taecyeon never waited. He had pulled out other things. He seemed to be in a hurry although he looked perfectly normal. The man showed Khun a black wristband, wide enough to hide most of the snips. He slid the wristband to Khun’s right wrist, and then slipped through the scissors beneath.

“Here, a wristband. Put it there.”—the scissors’ blades were capped—“If you pull it towards your palm, the cap will be off.”

Again, he displayed the mechanism directly. He put a silvery ring on Khun’s right middle finger. That ring was designed to hold a thread. Using transparent, inorganic one, it was now possible for Khun to flick his wrist and finger very slightly if he wanted to hold the scissors in his palm.

“ _Hyungnim_ …”

Khun felt horribly alarmed. The Taec appeared before him now was the gangster leader Taecyeon—there was no doubt about it—and it worried Khun. He was extremely solemn when he stared right at Khun’s eyes and said:

“You once asked me about what might happen to you if someone saw me with you. I’ll answer it now: It is very dangerous, especially now. I want you to take precaution and just trust me. You must stay with Jay today, okay? He is armed, so you will be fine.”

Khun’s heart started to race. Like a calm weather before storm, Taec’s words meant nothing but distressing Khun. He spluttered:

“I was planning on hanging out with Jay at his condo today—…”

“It’s settled, then. I’ll drive you there,” Taec concluded firmly. He was on his feet within seconds and the shirt was in his hands. He marched into Nichan’s bedroom and Khun was left speechless.

*****

Khun had expected Taec would wear his hooded jacket and jeans as usual and drove him in his Nissan Altima, but in reality, he was sitting on red velvety seat across a primly and properly dressed Ok Taecyeon in glossy black limousine. He felt irrevocably tiny and dirty, unworthy to breath the same air as Taecyeon, let alone sharing same space in this limousine. He squirmed anxiously and asked fearfully:

“I thought you were going to drive me there. What happened?”

“I’m going to church,” simply replied Taecyeon. His mind was somewhere else, Nichkhun could easily see that. Something was bothering him. Khun chose not to poke his nose where it did not belong, so he innocently pointed out:

“Okay, but this is Saturday morning, _Hyungnim_.”

“Can’t I go to church on Saturday morning?” Taecyeon asked, smiling, but his smile did not reach his eyes. It was alarming.

“Well…” Khun drawled, feeling uneasy.

“Don’t worry, Khun. It’s just once in a while,” said Taecyeon, offering a piece of comfort that sounded more for himself than for Khun.

He looked away; a dark glint appeared for a second in there. It was scary as much as it was arousing for Khun—stupid, stupid teenager, always fell for bad guys! Khun sighed, trying to ease the swelling of his heart. It was really hard to breathe recently.

“I constantly forgot how rich you are,” blurted Khun. Taec instantly wore his goofy expression at the confession. He grinned mischievously.

“Why? Because I always do stupid things and I seldom show it on my clothes?”

“You’re so cheap,” said Khun, folding arms on his chest and putting on his rebel teen look. Taec opened his arms and declared:

“I’m Austria.”

Khun snorted. Like hell he wouldn’t agree to that. He said, “I see. Then what I am?”

“Why don’t you just be Thailand?”

“And told that I’m a member of elephant-lovers club? Fuck no, thanks.”

Taec laughed. At least Khun managed to bring out the usual Taec. He had already missed him although it was only this morning he parted from that persona of Taec’s. He was worried and afraid for Taecyeon. He felt that something bad would happen once they parted this time. Still, Taecyeon would not say anything until Nichkhun stepped out of the limousine and went into the building.

*****

He was supposed to hone his moves for the audition, helped by Jay, but he ended up practicing boxing for an hour. Jay sighed as soon as he found Khun was still at it. Jay went out to send his condo-mate’s forgotten, yet important duffel to where he was right now because he could not get out for the time being. This condo-mate Khun had no idea what he looked like or even what his name was. All he knew that it was an adult male, who doubled as Jay’s guardian since Jay’s family lived in Seattle. Jay had mentioned once that the guy was his father’s sworn-brother or something, so he was as good as an uncle for Jay.

“You don’t plan on busting my punching bag, do you?” asked Jay. Khun abruptly stopped, feeling embarrassed. He did not realize how hard he was punching it until now. He received the swinging bag with his both palms, balancing it.

“No, sorry, Jay,” replied Khun.

“Well, good,” the owner coolly said, shrugging. He went and examined the bag. “I was worried seeing the way you used it.” He snickered, though. Khun wanted to punch him, but it would not be nice. Moreover, his knuckles were now sore.

“I am just… pumped up.”

“Sure you are, prince,” teased Jay. He always called Khun a prince ever since they met. At first it got to Khun’s nerves, but the more he nagged Jay to stop, the more Jay used it—up to the point Junsu was completely influenced—so Khun gave up and let him be.

Khun slumped onto Jay’s comfy couch, exhausted. Jay sat next to him, providing them both with a bottle of water each on the coffee table. The caring friend tugged hand wrap Khun wore and started peeling them off. Khun did not even bother to stop or even move a muscle. He was tired and Jay was just taking back what was his (the hand wrap was his, of course).

“It’s not fair that you have this fucking neat condo for yourself. It’s really nice in here. I am jealous.”

“I have a roommate, Khun, don’t forget that.”

“He’s never around, Jay! It’s as good as having this place alone! I’m so jealous.”

Jay rolled his eyes. He said, “I don’t work as an informant for free, you know. If you really are that jealous, you should begin considering about moving in here. I offered a room for you, Khun.”

Jay had just finished claiming what was his and Khun flexed his fingers like a fucking boss, or rather a prince and Jay was his attendant (what, Khun, now you actually can pay someone? Taec hadn’t married you yet, dummy—oops). Khun put back the contraption given by Taec this morning. He promised not to take it off throughout this day and he would keep his promise. He also put back on Taec’s JADE jacket.

“Meh, it hurts me to live in a place like this.”

“What, reminded you of your old luxurious mansion?” Jay teased. Khun kicked Jay away to make more space for him to lie down. Jay threw him a cushion, hitting him squarely on the face.

“Nah,” Khun argued, throwing back the cushion at Jay’s head, “it reminded me that my fucktard of a brother sold the fucking house because he wanted to play in casino.”

“Poor thing,” Jay said dramatically. Khun kicked him again, repeatedly. Jay was a frigging strong guy, so he didn’t even flinch. Khun vowed to outgrow him.

They then played a racing game together—Khun sucked at this, but like hell he cared. When he threw a tantrum because Jay won, again, for third time, in an hour, something occurred to him.

“Hey, d’you think Taec- _hyung_ would know if I left and went somewhere else now?”

“You know, Khun,” Jay began with his old man mode on, “Even if Ok-Boss doesn’t know, he will. That’s how it is in this town.” Khun scrunched his face, not happy about it even though it was blatantly obvious.

“That’s rough.”

“So you said.”

Jay drank his odd favorite drink, pome juice, meanwhile Khun gulp down his soda (more like soda Jay bought and gave to him). Because Khun had refused to continue the game, now they did not have anything to do. Khun had also lost interest with practicing. Weak-willed boy in front of free stuffs, tch.

“Hey, Jay, can I ask you about the reason why _Hyungnim_ is at my place right now? You know why, right?”

“It’s classified, man,” Jay replied automatically. But then he added, “But I can tell you bits since he kinda owes you.” He leaned forward and lowered his voice. Khun mirrored him, listening attentively.

“Look, for several months, some dicks have been threatening our _Jopok_ that they’d kill _Hyungnim_. We don’t know yet who they are, but the threat is real. They are still on the move and our plan is to deceive them. Until they are dealt with, _Hyungnim_ will stay with you.”

“That’s… isn’t that kind of stupid?” Khun asked, completely baffled. Just how stupid these people could be? Jay made a face and just shrugged.

“Not exactly.”

Then the bell rang. Someone was at the door. They both looked toward the entry simultaneously. Nichkhun asked:

“Who’s that?”

“That must be Junsu,” assumed Jay, standing up. “He said he was on his way here just twenty minutes ago.” He trotted to open the door while Khun waited.

“FUCK!”

Jay cursed loudly, and then there was a bang. Khun jolted and speedily got to his feet.  He wanted to duck and run, but he stood unmoving upon seeing two big white men enter the living room with gun in their hands. Khun backed away, knowing that it was time to escape. Another gunshot. This time, the smaller of two white men got shot at his gun-wielding hand.

“YOU SONOFA—…” he hollered, intending to take his revenge. The other man stopped him harshly.

“Don’t bother! Take him!”

He pointed at Khun with his gun. Now Khun knew he must escape, but his legs would not budge.

“Khun! RUN!” Jay yelled. Nichkhun jumped aside, trying to swindle his way out, but the intruders saw his movements and managed to seize Khun. These men were almost as big as Taecyeon. Nichkhun was tiny compared to him. He resisted strongly, but not to avail. Jay, leaning heavily on the wall with his thigh bleeding, held up a gun. He could not chase them, but he could kill them. He shot again, this time right at the thigh of the bigger man of the two.

“Damn it! This kid knows to shoot!”

Khun took this distraction to bit his kidnapper’s hand. The man cried, but his grip on Khun’s arms didn’t budge. He lost his cool and nearly strangled Khun. The leader intruder stopped him warningly.

“Don’t hurt him—we’ll hurt him in front of that motherfucker. Don’t kill him, too. We need him to call the motherfucker.”

He referred to Jay, whose head was slammed to the wall earlier when Khun wasn’t looking. Jay was only half-conscious right now.

“Hey, you! Call your fucking boss,” the short-tempered smaller man said. “Tell him to meet us at McCorkle Pier. He knows where it is. He should come if he doesn’t want this kid die.”

Jay’s laboring breath was the last thing Khun knew about Jay. He was dragged out of the condo like a doll. He saw the Korean kid from other day, peeping from next door, hiding from view. It was lucky for him that these two didn’t pay attention to Jay’s neighbors. They took Khun out of the building and dumped him into a black van.

Amidst this, Kim Junsu was standing across the street with white plastic bag in his hand, expecting to eat ice cream with his friends peacefully. He was in time to see Khun brought by two big men into a black van. Black van was always bad news.

“Khun? Isn’t that… Khun?” he muttered. A thought dawned on him. “Shi—Jay!”

Without any further thoughts, he sprinted into the building. He didn’t bother to take the elevator and just ran upstairs. Jay’s condo was located at the third floor anyway. He pushed the slightly ajar door open. Jay was sluggishly trying to stand up when Junsu arrived. The floor and wall were stained red. He had his shirt tied around his leg, where the bullet pierced through its flesh.

“Jay! Jay! Are you alright?” Junsu asked, panicked. He leapt to help Jay.

“They got Khun, hurry up call Taec- _hyung_ ,” Jay said regardless the emergency he himself must face.

“Wait, what about you?” argued Grandma Junsu who always had his priority checked.

“I’m gonna be all right!” Jay shrugged him off. He handed Junsu his cell phone. “Just call him now!”

Junsu could not deny Jay’s words in times like this. The older boy was quite scary to deal with once his tone changed. Junsu’s fingers seemed to be scuffling with each other instead of functioning normally when their use was most needed. Junsu’s mind and body could not hold the situation. Jay was calm, but his eyes pierced through Junsu’s head. He moved away from the wall and dropped himself on Junsu’s back.

“Hurry,” he said, voice barely audible. Somehow, this effectively calmed Junsu down and he finally made the call. He took a deep breath while waiting for the call to get through.

“ _Hyungnim_!” he shouted as soon as it was connected.

“Jay!” Taecyeon’s voice sounded cheerful at first, but then it turned solemn. “Wait, this voice… Junsu? What is it?”

“They got Khun,” Junsu said. “They wanted you to come to McCorkle Pier if you want Khun to be safe. _Hyungnim_ , Jay said you shouldn’t go by yourself.” Jay had just said it to Junsu’s shoulder, which he currently used as pillow.

“It’s okay, Junsu- _yah_. I’ll handle this,” Taecyeon told him calmly. The calmness, however, did not sound calm at all. The call was disconnected. Junsu stared at the phone screen, sighed. He looked aside, only to find the kid from the other day was standing in front of the wide-open door.

“ _What are you looking at, kid_?” barked Junsu. He really was not in the mood to deal with kids, Korean or not. The kid blinked and stuttered:

“ _No—nothing_!”

Then, it dawned on him. This kid could be useful, so Junsu thought. Jay was sliding his forehead up and down Junsu’s back. It began to get to his nerves—but Junsu was strong. He asked the kid—

“ _Can you call a taxi_ _now_?”

“ _Ne_!” the kid answered hurriedly. He took off in seconds. Junsu knew his hunch was right. Therefore, Jay disagreed.

“What are you doing, bastard? You don’t ask a kid to do that.”

His voice was so damn weak, it didn’t sound like Jay Park at all. The taller boy straightened his back and slowly moved away from Junsu. It gave Junsu the perfect chance to lecture him while holding him.

“For goodness’ sake, Jay, I can’t go down without you,” snapped Junsu right to Jay’s pale, sweaty face. “It’ll be a waste of time if I run for a taxi, only to go back here to get you. It’s not effective!” Jay could not win against that—he knew it was reasonable.

“Fine,” Jay said. “Let’s go. Get the keys.”

Junsu helped Jay to lean on nearest sturdy surface before he sprinted in, fetching the keys. Once he had them, instead of obeying him, Jay rebelled and said:

“The ice cream—put them in the fridge.”

“Damn it, Jay! You’re bleeding to death and you’re worried about ice cream?!”

“Just put them in, Kim Junsu! You bought them! Don’t you love them, you heartless man? How could you be so cruel?!”

Insert here dramatic Jay and his love for ice cream (like, who in the world would waste a plastic bag of ice cream?). Junsu sighed, completely defeated.

“Okay! Fine! I’ll put them in the freezer, happy?”

Reluctantly, Junsu picked up the bag he deserted for Jay earlier and brought it to the kitchen. Jay and his antics. As if Junsu had not had enough trouble dealing with his beloved neighbor, Nichkhun. Why couldn’t Junsu find a normal friend? He wasn’t normal, so he needed normal person to neutralize everything—yet, his best friends were these troublemakers. What had Junsu done to Fate and why Fate hated him so much? (You got it wrong, Junsu- _yah_ , Fate loves you so much that you were given lovely friends instead of boring, normal ones!)

“I love you, man,” Jay called after him.

“You only love me when I bring ice cream!” yelled Junsu, slamming the fridge door angrily (someone out there cried imagining an innocent refrigerator treated like this, Junsu- _yah_ , be careful!). Junsu marched back to Jay, walking him out of the apartment.

“That’s not true,” said Jay.

Junsu closed the door and locked it. He retaliated, “You love Khun more!”

“Well, yes, I do,” admitted Jay without guilt.

“Jerk.”

“ _I called the taxi_ , Hyung!” the boy shouted as soon as the elevator opened. Junsu and Jay walked to the open elevator as quickly as possible. The kid held the button for them.

“Good work, thanks, kid,” Junsu said.

“I—I know where,” the boy stuttered, trying hard talking in English.

“Where what?” Junsu asked.

“P—pier.”

“You know?”

“My—my dad working at the po—port..teu,” explained the boy, his Korean dominated his English—Jay snickered at the accent, he had always thought it was cute and odd since he heard Junsu did it. He did not know that him talking Korean with his American accent would be so much funnier (Jay could not speak Korean for his life—that was why he was just an American born to a couple of Koreans).

“Thanks for the offer, kid, but we’re not going to be involved right now,” Junsu refused the offer. “You better go back in.”

“You can be quite cool sometimes, Junsu- _yah_ ,” teased Jay.

“Damn it, Jay. I was born with swag!”

“Your swag is nothing compared to my swag.”

“Uh, what are we doing? Our friend is kidnapped and we talk of nonsense? Not to mention your leg!”

Jay raised an eyebrow and wittily retorted, “Kim Junsu, you never talk of anything normal, though.”

“Teasing Khun is so much more fun,” evaded Junsu. He refused to admit defeat.

“Because you can’t win against me,” Jay announced weakly.

“Die!”

The kid watched them blankly, completely lost at words. He probably did not understand most of the words, too. The duo didn’t hold back. Jay was laughing despite his current state and Junsu instantly apologized for the last word he slipped. It was uncalled for—a rather normal punch-line, if the situation wasn’t like this. They were saved by the elevator. They arrived at the ground level.

“Wait,”—Jay held out his hand, preventing the door from shutting—“What’s your name, kid?”

“Jang Wooyoung.”

“I’m Park Jaebeom, thanks for the help, neighbor.”

Even after leaving the building, they still quarreled. Jang Wooyoung observed with mild interest. They must be very good friends, he thought. The other _hyung_ looked scary, though. But, really, Wooyoung- _ah_ , Nichkhun wasn’t the scariest _hyung_ among them all!


	12. By the Pier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gunshots, blood, cracking bones, and rain.

The sound of billowing waves was close. Air was filled by salt. It was damp. Nichkhun sat at the corner. He was not at the pier. He was forced to wait in the van, one man pointing a gun at him. Khun could hear there were many others outside and they must be equipped with weapons, too. He feared for his and Taec’s lives. Could they be the ones mentioned by Jay earlier? Could this be the reason Taec was acting uncharacteristically weird this morning?

Suddenly hasty footsteps gathered around the van’s door. The atmosphere dampened quickly. Something had been started. They began to discuss, as quiet as possible, although Khun could hear them clearly from inside.

“There he comes!”

“Get ready!”

“Mattie, take the kid out now!”

The man nodded and proceeded to fetch Khun. He roughly pulled Khun by the arm with his left hand. “Mattie” pushed Khun out of the van, letting him stumble on his feet and fell flat on his face. Instead of helping him like a normal person, Mattie and his friends yelled at Khun, commanding him to get back to his feet _right now_. Khun felt insulted, but he could not afford doing anything rash right now. No one was bare-handed there.

They walked Khun to the pier, where they had told Jay they would be holding the meeting. The place was closed during seasons other than summer, for good reason. The sky was gloom and wind mercilessly slapped their faces. Storm might be close and rain’s arrival was not even questionable at this point, yet these people insisted on continuing.

Khun spotted four figures in front of the erect monument built to honor the pier’s namesake. Two of them were unmistakably these people’s comrades, judging from their weapons. The other two, however, weren’t unfamiliar for Khun. His brother was one of them, standing close to his companion, who was tall and big. This wasn’t right, Khun thought alarmingly. He recognized the bodyline—he wished he was wrong! As he arrived in front of them, he understood that he was right.

“He’s here,” the red-jacketed man said. “Now, if you want him back, surrender to us.”

“What do you want with him?” Nichan asked hotly, fingers clearly itched to grab the pistols he had obediently left on the ground.

“We want to get even with him,” the white-jacketed man replied. “He took our treasure and used it, then he just threw it away!” About a dozen other men inched closer, forming a circle to prevent them from escaping.

“I won’t let you,” Nichan said. “You’re all worthless scum!”

“Shut up, bitch!” the Red Jacket barked. “We ain’t want you here! We want him!”

Then, unexpectedly, Ok Taecyeon stepped forward. It was a fatal mistake. Khun saw it, in high speed, how a bullet was fired, straight toward Taecyeon’s head from behind. It hit its mark, piercing through the skull, peering open a clean cylindrical way from the back to Taecyeon’s forehead. The big man collapsed, lying lifelessly in a pool of scarlet liquid originating of his own body. That moment, Khun felt numb.

“What the fuck! Who did this? Who did this?!”

They were fighting among themselves. Khun’s ears gradually lost their function, unable to accept anymore sound. His mind froze, refusing to process any information. This was not right. Everything was blurry and hazy. Coldness seeped rapidly into his skin, biting and conquering his body cruelly. The last thing he saw was dark, gloomy sky and approaching lightning. Was it Thor or Zeus?

*****

Nichan fled the scene—he _tried_. They were everywhere. Their number was bigger than thought. Surely they had underestimated the force of those betrayers. Nichan would die if he stayed. He did not care about his fainted brother—he did not want to. The body-double was dead and the kidnappers might have thought that they won. Before they realized that he had deceived them, Nichan must get out from here. He stopped amidst his escape. The last thing he ever wanted now had just arrived.

Ok Taecyeon, the genuine one, was on the site, walking leisurely into the park. One could easily mistake him as an innocent bystander who simply was there at the wrong time. Clearly, he had just got off from his house, meeting with the higher-ups of the _Jopok_. He still wore his expensive attire. He crossed toward Nichan, who abruptly stopped running, saying glumly:

“You’re here.” He had no idea that Nichan was sent to deal with them earlier.

“The sickfucks were leading your double and me here. They shot him dead.”

Nichan did not bother to lie or question his presence right now. His boss wasn’t his usual playful self. This was the last thing Nichan hoped to run to today. He wasn’t given any other choice but to follow.

“How’s Khun?”

“He freaked out—fainted. Your double was perfect.”

Taecyeon looked down, then, slowly lifted his gaze. He stood tall and valiant, ready to challenge. He called out without restriction:

“Oi, bastards, come out!”

Thunderous series of footsteps gathered around them in an instant. They were looking for Nichan, who had set loose. They came around like ants to a cube of sugar. With them, Khun stood, unmotivated. Red Jacket pointed his gun at Khun’s temple to keep him still. As they came face to face with newly arrived important person, Khun looked up and he was surprised to see Taecyeon before him. He realized only then whom he saw bleeding wasn’t the real one. The kidnappers had just found out about the double when they paid closer attention to the body.

“Good, the real one is here,” White Jacket said.

“ _Hyung_!” Khun called. His heart swelled with happiness, though evanescent realizing how dire the situation they were currently facing.

Taecyeon responded, with a vigorous rage reflected in his murderous eyes, “Khun- _ah_!”

“Don’t take another step!” Red Jacket warned, cocking his gun, positioning it on Khun’s temple, pushing the cold metal into Khun’s skin. Khun’s ears were filled with his heartbeat—he was afraid. Taecyeon gritted his teeth, quickly calmed himself down. It had just started to rain.

Taecyeon coolly said, gesturing with both hands for them to lower their weapons:

“Take it easy, man. Careful with that.”

“Give us what we want and this kid won’t be hurt.”

“You can have him,” Nichan interrupted.

“Aish, you! He’s your brother!” Taecyeon disagreed. Nichan did not try to show any remorse. He would never trade his boss for his brother. The one who fed him was more important than the leech of his life. Khun must agree with his brother this time, though. He did not wish for Taec being harmed.

“You are more important, _Hyungnim_!”

“That’s flattering, but really?”

“You might say so, Nicky McFucking-Coward,” Red Jacket said, “but what ‘bout the big boss? Don’t pretend; we know you like this kid. You got soft spot for this kid.”

Nichan looked genuinely surprised, asking tacitly by looking at his boss intently with jaw hung open. Needlessly to say, Taecyeon let his hands down and surrendered. These stupid people hadn’t noticed how dangerous the man was at the moment. Only Nichan knew they shouldn’t be pushing him this far. Nichkhun was consumed by fear, but he could not look away from Taecyeon. He fixed his gaze on his eyes and Taecyeon kept his eyes straight to the man behind Khun, impaling him with a look that could kill.

“Yes, yes, I do, now calm down,” Taecyeon said; his voice and expression were deceivingly calm and neutral. “I will give you whatever you want. Just don’t be hasty.”

“You’ll come with us,” declared Red Jacket. “We’ll take your fucking junk.”

“What? No! No, stop, Boss!” Nichan tugged at Taecyeon’s arm.

“Trust me, Nichan,” Taecyeon said coldly. “It’s going to be all right.”

He, then, carefully crossed the distance between him and the kidnappers. All guns followed his movements. Khun shook his head, begging with his slightly teary eyes. Taecyeon returned his stare, warmly and calmly. He was telling Nichkhun to trust him, to trust that he would take care of everything. But beyond trust which he had asked from Khun, the young man saw in his eyes coldness that belonged to a predator.

“In order to gain wisdom, Odin gave his eye. We can’t get anything without sacrificing anything of equal value, Nichan. That is the rule of this world.”

“What are you saying, _Hyungnim_? Losing your manhood is not included in that!”

“What are you saying, Nichan? I’m not losing anything.”

Taecyeon shifted his eyes, as he halted midway, toward Khun’s wrist. This reminded Khun of his equipped weapon. He hadn’t realized it before, but he wasn’t unarmed. His kidnappers did not realize of its existence since it was perfectly fitted to his wristband, and the jacket was so baggy, it covered Khun’s wrists even when he put them up. The sentence said to him was a signal—a code—for Khun to react for Taecyeon, to assist him. Stilling his shaking hands, Khun tried to pull the string, freeing the snips from the band and cap. Red Jacket and White Jacket were yelling at Taecyeon. No one paid attention to Khun. How perfect, Khun thought. He grasped the snips and swung it upward. It was buried into Red Jacket’s right eyeball, through its eyelid.

“SHIIIT!”

Khun freed himself from the captor. His hand was red with blood. The scissors were slippery, but Khun kept them in his balled fist and secured them with his clean hand, holding close to his chest. He had just hurt someone—his heart drummed loudly. Taecyeon slipped past him, fist landed on Red Jacket’s face. The man flew to the ground, followed closely by his friend. Khun rubbernecked, spying what was happening behind him. Taecyeon caught baseball bat swung at his head, snatched it out of the wielder’s hand, and utilized it to bash the original holder’s head. The firearms were on again, aimed at Taecyeon.

“Behind me,” the cold gangster leader said loudly as thunder rolled and rain fell gradually harder on them all. Nichkhun stumbled as he was following the order.

White Jacket fired at him out of fear, but Taecyeon received the bullets directly with his body. The bullets left smoking holes on his expensive jacket. Nichkhun trembled in fear and cried silently. He could feel darkness and coldness emitted from the body of whom was shielding him right now. Taecyeon shifted his dark eyes toward White Jacket. The man held terror on his face; he was frozen, gun still aimed at Taecyeon with both hands—hands that were now quivering badly. Transferring the bat to his left hand, Ok Taecyeon stepped forth and grabbed White Jacket’s hands. He twisted the gun, putting the barrel in White Jacket’s seemingly-unable-to-close mouth.

“Let me teach you something. You know, when you are shooting your enemy…” he lectured, red glint appeared in his dark eyes. White Jacket whimpered in horror, tears rolled along with droplets of rainwater. Taecyeon continued with low, dangerous tone, “…you don’t aim at their body, pal, but their head. Mouth is a good option when you are this close.”

Nichkhun jumped as he heard a loud bang and the sound of lifeless body hit the ground. Closing his eyes tightly, Khun squatted behind Taecyeon’s thick legs. Swooshed past them both just now were bullets shot by the remaining comrades of Khun’s kidnappers around the park. Taecyeon abandoned the baseball bat and dived, scooping Khun into his arms.

“You’re doing good, Khun. It’s all right now. It’s all right now. I’ll protect you,” Taecyeon said, embracing him close. Khun continued to cry quietly. Taecyeon brought Khun in his arms as they escaped from bullets. Nichan was behind them. They soon found that there were recently arrived four men in black suits scatter about with rifles readied in their hands.

“ _Hyungnim_! To the gate!” one of them informed Taecyeon. The big man nodded understandingly. He turned sharply to drag Nichan by the sleeve, forcing him to stand and fight properly (he had been trying to get out from the area rather than rescuing his boss although he looked like he was taking care of their enemies).

“Cover me, you crappy big brother! That’s your job!” Taecyeon commanded.

“Fuck! Fine! Just go!” Nichan wasn’t given any other options—just another gun.

Taecyeon was about to make it past the gate, but a handful of thugs were waiting for them there. They did not have firearms with them, but knives, bats, and the worst: crowbars. Instead of putting Khun down, Taecyeon picked Khun completely, bridal style. He sprinted for the gate. The thugs followed him, but he made it out before them. Just in time, Taecyeon’s Nissan Altima arrived.

“This is what you get for going out without any bodyguard, little brother!” a woman yelled from the driver seat. Khun had seen the woman before.

“ _Noona_!” Taecyeon exclaimed.

“Get in!”

Taecyeon opened the door and put Khun in first. The woman shot incoming thugs. She missed a couple of them, the most agile and strongest, unfortunately. They were coming straight for Taecyeon. Khun screamed, warning Taecyeon. The man stepped back out from the car and pivoted. Quietly, he captured the fist aimed at him, twisted it, and ruthlessly stepped on the man’s leg. The man screamed in agony, overlaying the sound of his bones breaking. Taecyeon gave the other man a perfect roundhouse kick to his head, and the following other a bone-crushing jab to the solar plexus. There were still three remaining and they were still unrelenting. Taecyeon welcomed them with his palms and his forehead. He bashed their heads in one quick motion, sending their bodies flying while their heads to the ground. Taecyeon pulled out a gun from beneath his jacket and shot them all between their eyebrows. He ran out of bullets, so he opted to pick up an abandoned crowbar and stab it through the remaining living enemy’s chest.

“You don’t want to see it, kid,” the woman said to Khun, who had grown incredibly pale, obviously traumatized.

Khun wanted to look away, he truly did, but he found his body stopped listening to his command. The man standing over there was unfamiliar, emitting dangerous aura that warned people not to fuck with him. The cold glint in his eyes, the unforgiving expression he held in his face, and the serenity he wore; everything about Ok Taecyeon was screaming menace. Dark red blood streamed away as rain washed them off.

Now Khun was sure that everything he saw that night, the scent and flashes of images, was never a dream. After all, he had let a coldblooded gangster dwell inside his place. His own bloody hand was quivering. He had hurt someone—but it was nothing compared to what he had just witnessed.

Taecyeon turned and, changing his expression, went back into the car. He sat next to Khun, who suddenly felt afraid sitting in that car. The woman threw Taecyeon a handkerchief and started the engine. He wiped his hands and face with it, bringing everything back to normal, then he pulled out his own handkerchief.

“Let me look at your hand, Khun,” said he. Khun gave him his bloody, trembling hand. He felt cold—freezing to the bones. Taecyeon released the wristband and string from Khun’s hand. He cleaned it gently. Khun felt his skin was on fire. He was scared (and mentally scarred), but he was happy with the treatment. He blushed—with mixed feelings. The blood, the killing-spree, everything was real and he was there to witness it—yet, his heart cared only for his yearn. All he thought now was that he wanted to be touched, he needed more. He needed it so direly he wanted to cry again. He required comfort.

“Why are you here, _Noona_?” Taecyeon asked the woman behind the wheel casually. For them, this was as good as daily routine—nothing new; just your every day problem.

“I was passing by,” the woman answered. She was speeding without a care, reeling sharply at the corner upon stumbling two cars set to trap them. “You should be thankful that I always have bodyguards with me so I can send backup for your stupid errand boy.”

“I was with _Abeoji_.”

“You left the meeting without permission! I had to cover it up!”

“You’re the best, _Noona_.”

Taecyeon smiled at the woman, presumably his sister the way he kept referring her. She sighed. Taecyeon put the bloody snips and the accessories in a zip-lock bag, and pocketed it inside his jacket.

“Hey, you, I remember you,” the woman said, leering at Khun via back-mirror. She smiled brightly. “Thanks again for helping me that day.” Taecyeon looked at Khun.

“So, you did meet my sister.”

“I didn’t know…” murmured Khun, only then realizing that the woman was the lady from supermarket that day. He didn’t have any energy left to feel human right now, but he tried to be.

 “He saw the pickpocket and scolded him. My hero. I can see why you would go as far as staying put and still when cornered like that. Any other day, you’d go rampage in a mere second.”

“ _Noona_!”

“Right, right! You want to keep your clean image in front of an innocent kid. I’m sorry—but a beast like you playing safe?”

“ _Nooonaaa_!”

“Right! Sorry!”

She cackled merrily. Taecyeon sighed. The atmosphere was wrong. It seemed right, but it was actually so wrong. Right after killing at least a dozen of men, they spoke of casual matters and even teased each other. From how they spoke, whatever happened just a moment ago was practically nothing—they had seen and done something much worse. It was not proper, but Khun knew normal people’s normalcy did not apply to them.

The car trashed around quite frequently. The ride was wild. Khun held on to his seat for his dear life. Every so often, Ok- _noona_ would turn sharply and practically threw Khun to Taec, up to the point he sat on Taecyeon’s lap after one feral turn at one corner.

“ _Noona_ - _yah_! Watch out!”

“I can’t! Shut up, baby brother!”

“Hang on to me, Khun. Jihyen- _noona_ is always crazy for street racing,” Taecyeon said warmly, holding Khun securely. Nichkhun had no objection. He hugged the big man without any doubt. This was what he needed and wanted. His heart did not slow down, but his fear gradually faded for now. Well, his fear and trauma about the recent event, not about this crazy car ride. He might die today so he might as well as relish the last moments of his life by drowning in the musky scent and warmth of Ok Taecyeon’s body.

“Oh, Gou’s on the move,” Taecyeon said as they passed a speeding car from opposite direction. Jihyen chuckled.

“Gou’s on the move,” she parroted. “Gouzen- _gumi_ is going to do the clean-up since they are actually Gouzen family members.”

“I am really happy that I don’t have to see it. Gou’s tough disciplinary conduct.”

“Right. You should have seen how the kid looked when you took care of those underlings earlier,” Jihyen said. Khun did not want to hear it, effectively burying his face deeper into Taecyeon’s shoulder.

“It is nothing compared to Gou,” coolly Taecyeon said.

“Well, she does not kill, but she tortures. Of course.” She finally sighed in relief as they arrived at the back of Khun’s apartment building. She protested as she watched her brother opened the door, “You really have to throw this car out.”

“No way. This car I bought with honest money.”

“It makes you stand out!”

“No, it does not.”

“I’ll really smash this car when you’re home.”

“ _Noona-yah_!” Taecyeon sounded exceptionally angry. His grip on Khun’s waist tightened. Jihyen rolled her eyes and quickly apologized.

“Joking. Go inside quick. I’ll send this car later.”

“I owe you one, _Noona_.”

Taecyeon slid out of the car with Khun still clung to him like a koala. He did not mind and he did not seem to be burdened with it. He hastily went to the backdoor and went in, locking the door. His Nissan Altima rolled away, back to the road where it passed through before stopping, and turned at the corner. Once Taecyeon could hear his car’s engine no more, he became relaxed. He patted Khun’s head.

“Are you okay? Can you walk?”

“Ye—yeah…” Khun meekly answered. He could not believe he made it out alive. He uncrossed his legs from Taecyeon’s waist and reluctantly got his feet back on the ground, standing on his own. He separated himself from Taecyeon sluggishly.

“Come, let’s go home,” Taecyeon said, offering a hand. Khun accepted it.


	13. The Man-Eater

The Man-Eater

“I’m sorry that you got caught in the mess because of me,” Taecyeon said as they entered the apartment.

They were wet and dirty, also exhausted to the bones. The night was quiet and it was awkward for both of them. Nichkhun shook his head. He recalled of how he retracted his hand out of Taecyeon’s grasp before they reached the door. He was embarrassed—what would other think if they saw Taecyeon hold hands with a boy like Nichkhun? He wanted to casually keep that hand around his, but he could not.

“It’s okay. I.. should have seen it.”

Taec smiled. He pointed at the bathroom door, saying, “You should clean up first. I’ll make dinner.”

“You—you shouldn’t have…” Khun stuttered. After hearing the fact that Taec had soft spot for him, Khun felt exceptionally weird. Cooking for him would make Khun have ideas. Taec better stopped cooking for Khun. It would be better for Khun, too. He would be free from danger if he did not try to pursue Taec’s affection. He did not have to worry anymore…

“Why? Is my cooking really bad?” Taec asked, wide-eyed. He took it the wrong way. Abruptly Khun waved his hands.

“N—no! That wasn’t what I meant!”

“Oh, good,” Taec said, relieved. “Don’t worry. I love to cook so it’s not a bother for me. Go now.”

_And I love you_. Wait, what? Again! Khun and his stupid teenager libido! Even at this kind of situation! He was thankful that he didn’t think out loud this time.

“Give me all you wear right now after this,” Taec said. “I’ll have my men clean them.”

“You—you won’t burn them, will you?” Khun asked. He was now attached to Taec’s JADE jacket and he would appreciate it if he could keep it. Taec chuckled.

“No,” he assured. “I just want to make them stainless.”

“O—okay, then,” Khun agreed. He understood what Taec meant. The stains had to leave. Khun wished memories were as easy to get rid of.

Khun didn’t eat much that night, but Taec didn’t tell him to eat more. They cleaned the dishes together. Right about ten minutes after dinner, one of Taec’s men came to report that his car had been sent back and to bring him Nichkhun’s phone. The cell phone was taken by someone of those fuckers earlier. Nichkhun sent messages to Jay and Junsu, telling them that he was now home—and asking how Jay’s leg was—and then he turned in to sleep.

Khun kept thinking of what happened to him today as he lied down on his bed. It was hard to forget everything, but as he thought of today, he fell asleep. He was sleeping until he felt thirsty in the middle of the night. He went to the kitchenette and drank a glass of water, but as he turned around, he jumped in surprise. He saw someone sitting on the couch. He breathed in relief as he realized it was just Taec.

“ _Hyung_ , you’re not sleeping?”

“I can’t sleep, so I tried drinking a bit of alcohol to induce sleepiness,” Taec answered, tipping the bottle of gin he had in his hand. Khun walked around the counters and approached Taec with his glass of water.

“Is it working?”

“Not really—especially because you’re here,” Taec said as Khun took a seat next to him, not particularly in intimate range, though. Khun was afraid if he was sitting too close, he would jump on to him in no time after knowing how right it felt to be there—how comfortable to sit on him, to be in his warm embrace.

“Wh—why?”

“Talking with someone always chases away sleepiness.”

“I’ll go, then… I don’t want to bother…”

Khun put down his glass and proceeded to get to his feet. Taec shot up a hand and got a grip on his wrist. He pulled the boy down, back to his former seat.

“What about your audition? You’ve been practicing hard.”

“I—I still have to work on the choreo.”

“Mind showing me a teaser? Sneak-peek? Since I sponsored you,” Taec asked, wriggling his shoulders funnily. Khun would not be able to say no to that foolish dance.

“S-su—sure. Just a bit, okay?”

“Just a bit is enough for now.”

Taec’s smile was warm… Khun stood up and readied himself, trying to forget that in front of him was Taecyeon right now. The song he picked was an upbeat song with 112 BPM, not too fast, not too slow. He began with wide moves, arms open and swayed, then he did some poppin’, dabbing, jumps, turns, and ended it with a full turn with his hands peeling his shirt off. He suddenly became self-conscious after.

“ _Get a grip on yourself, Khun! It’s normal to be shirtless for a man!_ ” Khun thought.

But he should have known that Taecyeon would always find a way to bend his expectations and make his heart curl in embarrassment.

“Are you really going to use that shirt-peeling move at the audition?”

“W—why? Was it bad?” he panicked that he forgot to put his shirt back on. He could not read Taec’s face when he said it. Khun really thought that Taec hated that part—and here he thought of a way to be sexy. _He failed at being sexy in front of Taec!_ He had begun to shrink when Taec dismissed his wild thoughts.

“Oh, no, on the contrary, it was too good,” Taec said. His eyes trained on Khun. “Too sensual. Too… dangerous.” If Khun didn’t know better, he would have thought that Taec’s eyes had dilated.

“Really?” Khun wanted to be happy about this, but if he was, he would begin to expect more, want more.

“Yeah. Here, sit with me.”

Khun complied. He sat a bit closer to Taec than the previous. His body was hot and cold. His heart leapt when Taec handed him the bottle of gin.

“Do you drink?”

“Not much.”

“Want some? It numbs the pain, you know.”

Fear and traumas could be numbed with this, too, right? Khun glumly thought to himself. His heart felt as if it swelled twice its size, pushing the ribs, squeezing to every available space inside. Breathing was never easy since Taec was present in his life. Sighing was now part of his habits because his chest was always tight when he thought of Taec. Surely, alcohol might help to numb it a bit, too.

“Yeah, okay.”

Khun took a tiny gulp from the bottle with the idea of indirect kiss with Taecyeon. He did not really want to drink—but, hey, this bottle was inside Taec’s mouth just a moment ago. The freaky side of his teenage soul won.

“How is it? It’s a genuine English gin.”

“Tastes like any other liquor for me,” Khun said plainly as he handed back the bottle. He really didn’t know the difference. Then again, he didn’t drink much. No money, no alcohol. Plus, he was still underage.

“Cheap palate,” mocked Taec. Khun poked him on the stomach.

“Yours, too.”

“Mine’s a little more expensive than yours is,” countered Taec, poking Khun back. Khun swatted his hands away. Taec let his hands being pushed away by Khun just to humor him. He stopped only when Khun attacked him directly on the arm and chest.

“Cheeky! I hate you!” Khun sulked.

Taec smiled and chuckled. He leaned back and stayed silent for a while, drinking occasionally. He spread his right hand on the couch’s head, behind Khun’s head. Khun eyed the man. He did it as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Khun, you’ll do great. You’ll make it,” suddenly Taec changed the subject. Khun felt happy, whether or not he meant it. Khun retorted glumly to incite more discussion:

“You’re just saying that.”

“No, I’m serious.”

“Liar.”

“I really am.”

Taec shifted. He faced his front directly to Khun without retracting his arm from the couch behind Khun’s head. He locked his eyes on Khun’s, making the teen secretly squirmed on his seat. They were close, but not close enough.

“There’s something I want to know,” Khun bravely initiated. He was nervous, but unwavering. He saw Taec put the bottle down and followed his movements. “Why would they want to cut off your penis? They said something about…” His voice drawled and he lost his mind as Taec leaned down toward him. A soft touch landed on Khun’s slightly dry lips.

His heart went warp-speed and was gone. He panicked as he was confused about what was currently happening. Taec pulled back for a second and Khun opened his eyes. Taec’s eyes were deep—they penetrated Khun right into his soul. The next thing that Khun felt was Taec’s lips massaging his, gently at first. Khun began to kiss back sloppily. He had waited this, dreamt of this for months, hell, years! Khun’s mind had gone completely blank and it left him with his bodily function to respond to Taec.

When he felt Taec was pulling away, Khun’s hands shot up and held the face firmly and his mouth devoured the lips hungrily, desperately begging Taec for more. Taec laughed into the kiss. His arms encircled Khun’s lithe body, holding it close. His big palms roamed all over his naked back. Khun moved his hands to loop around the sturdy neck and shoulders. It was like hugging a pillar, a _devilishly_ hot pillar. Khun gasped as Taec let his tongue slid on Khun’s lower lip. Thus, the invasion of Ok-tongue had begun. It explored the dark cavern skillfully and Khun was immediately at loss, he could not even have time to commence counter-attack or even to defend himself.

“What a voice,” Taec gruffly said as they parted, seeking for air. “I love the noises you make, princess.” He whispered to Khun’s left ear before he licked and nibbled the earlobe. What noises? Khun wondered as he mewled loudly. Yes, that kind of noises, you air-head. He was too absorbed into the activity to realize that he made noises.

“Do you bottom?” Taec asked, pushing Khun into the couch with his body. Khun bit his lower lip and looked up to Taec with his round, big brown eyes. “Yes, yes, you are,” Taec concluded without waiting for Khun’s answer. He teased Khun’s super hard dick through the sweatpants. Taec was rock-hard, too.

“You are a fucking tease. Totally a jailbait— _shit_ , you are fifteen, should I even continue? _Fuck it_ ,” said Taec fiercely. He roughly peeled off Khun’s sweatpants along with the boxer. Khun closed his legs on impulse.

“First time?” Taec asked. He saw that even though this kid was eager, there was a hint of fear, or at least worry, in his eyes. Red faced, red eared, red bodied Khun looked away shyly and nodded.

“First—first time with real—real per—person,” meekly Khun confessed.

“I’ll be gentle, then,” Taec decided. Unfortunately, that was the last thing Khun wanted right now.

“Don’t!” he shouted, but he immediately regretted it.

“Huh?” Taec was genuinely surprised.

“Don’t—don’t be gentle. I can handle it. I—I am not weak.”

“All right,” Taec concurred with gentle smile that did not last more than a second. He leaned down and captured Khun’s lips once again and ferociously kissed him. Khun tried to grind against Taec’s clothed dick. He regretted it that he succeeded. The sensation was too much for him, he almost came. Taec pulled away and pushed Khun’s pelvis down. He kissed Khun’s jaw, neck, and chest. He looked at Khun from there and then he licked Khun’s nipple. It gave off a strange sensation—brief buzzes, short electrocution? Khun could not name it. Then, Taec sucked on it. Khun whimpered. His body shook involuntarily. It made his stomach tighten and breasts tense. He gasped loudly.

“No—no—aaaah. It feels weird, _Hyung_. It—it feels so weird!”

“Does it now?” teased Taec, pulling away with a subtle lick around the nipple. Then, he straightened his back and said, “If we are going further, can you call my name, Khun? I don’t want to get hard every time you call me ‘ _hyung_ ’. Just Taec will do.”

“Ye—yes, Taec… ah!”

Taec continued to suck Khun’s nipple while his hand played with the other. Khun buried his face on the couch’s arm. Taec went further south, but Nichkhun closed the thighs. Of course this raised another question.

“No—not here, _Hyung—_ I mean, Taec. I don’t want to do it here,” he pleaded.

“I see. Special first time, hm?” Taec said with a foolish smile. Nichkhun hated the fact that Taec read him like fucking open book. What was this man? Mind-reader? He could even find Khun where Khun couldn’t even find himself! But even the man could not answer that.

“Where? Your room?”

“Yes, please.”

“I like it every time you say ‘please’, Khun. It pleases me.”

“Shut! Up! It’s not time for jokes!” Khun protested, although he laughed. Taec grinned widely.

So Taec scooped Khun into his embrace and stood up. He brought Khun effortlessly as if Khun was a ragdoll. Khun wrapped his legs around Taec’s waist and his arms around the neck. He buried his face in the crook of Taec’s neck, inhaling the manly scent as well as hiding his red face. He loosened his legs and arms as he was laid gently on the bed.

“Creamy buns. Creamy vanilla.”

He heard Taec mumble as the large man ran his palms through Khun’s butt all the way to his creamy thighs. His fingertips ghosted on Khun’s scar, reminding him of days Nurse Ok taking care of it.

“You have no idea how hard it was to tend your wound with these on view.”

The man stayed away just to appreciate the way Khun look without his clothes on the bed, after a good make-out.

“Let’s begin,” growled Taec eventually.

The gentleman had gone to sleep and the beast came to replace him. Khun’s dick throbbed at the sight of Taec speedily threw off his shirt, exhibiting his perfectly sculpted torso. His left torso was covered in tattoos. It looked like as if he was wearing half a cape. The way it was done allowed Taec to keep wearing short-sleeves without showing any hint of inked skin. Khun bit his lip again, thinking how menacing the dragon in the drawing was—and the jade it held—so befitting the man. This lip-biting had become a habit since this was started. Taec was hotter without clothes on. _Yeah, no shit, Sherlock_.

Oh, my, Khun thought when Taec tossed his pants and underwear. His eyes were fixed on Taec’s proud erected tower as soon as it was freed from its cover. It was big, red, and meaty—so… manly. Khun loved meats. He turned redder just from looking at that. The show did not last long since Taec had to obstruct Khun’s view with his body as he leaned down to insert a lubed dildo into Khun’s hole. When did he get it? When did he lube it?

“It goes in easily—did you play just before you went to bed, Khun- _ah_? You really are a troublemaker, aren’t you?”

The tone was cruel, pure teasing and bullying. Unlike what Khun always experienced, this actually turned him on even more than before. He moaned helplessly as he saw the toy move back and fro in Taec’s hand. It was his favorite one—the bright red, dick-shaped one. It brushed the spot deep inside, the spot that made Khun forget everything.

“Shit. I can’t take this anymore. You’re too much!” Taec growled in frustration. He mercilessly pulled out the dildo and tossed it to only God knows where. He grabbed Khun’s thighs and without warning, pushed his dick into the hole. Khun cried, arms twisting as he fisted the bed-sheet. As expected, Taec stretched him like no other.

“So tight,” grunted Taec. He leaned down and hugged Khun, inviting Khun to hold on to him tightly. He moved without saying anything, thrusting deep into the hole like a mindless beast without any trace of his usual foolish and gentle character.

It felt amazing. The real thing was incomparable to toys, Khun found. The meaty rod slid in and out, slippery from having lubed. It was hot. It hurt at first since the size wasn’t the usual fit, but in time the pain was insignificant and soon, Khun forgot everything because the reset button was hit. Khun didn’t know how loud he was right now. He thought Taec occupying his lips just to… whatever, Khun didn’t think anymore.

The pounding was erratic, strong, and deep. At some point, Khun could not see anything. He felt light-headed and his balls tightened. The friction created by their stomachs intensified the sensation—suddenly, the semen was out of the bank. Out of his control, his hole squeezed Taec’s dick and Taec was slightly annoyed.

“How dare you to come unannounced and look so fucking delicious like this, even more than before? _Damn,_ your creation is a sin. Your existence is a _fucking_ sin, Khunnie.”

He got harder and he pounded even more mercilessly. Khun couldn’t believe his words. He would think about it later when there was time to think. Taec geared up his movements: harder, faster, stronger, and deeper. He sloppily devoured Khun’s lips, swallowing Khun’s moans effectively. The teen dug his nails into Taec’s taut back. It was unbearably good—his dick did not even need to be touched. Taec slipped his strong arms beneath Khun and pulled him close, pushing their chests together. The beast smothered the princess with kisses, from his lips, cheek, ears, to his shoulder. He buried his face at the nook of Khun’s neck, increasing his speed. Khun cried. Khun felt that he could have second orgasm right away at this rate. And he did, just as Taec filled his hole with cum. The beast finally collapsed on Khun, breathing heavily.

“Sorry, I forgot the rubber. Damn, it doesn’t stop.”

Khun hugged Taec tighter. It felt good, too, being filled up. He felt odd when the limp dick was pulled out. He stared at the beige ceiling, thinking of his pulsing asshole that was conflicted between pushing or keeping the foreign liquid. He could not believe this. Could this be another wet dream?

“Want to shower together, Khun- _ah_?” asked someone from his right. Khun turned and found Taec stare down at him softly, propping his head on one hand. “You didn’t realize I have cleaned you off, did you?”

The teasing Taec was back. Khun looked down and was surprised that his body was clean from cum, but there were tissues gathered on a black plastic bag nearby. Also, he had his boxers back on. He didn’t know that he actually blacked out for a moment. His mind was floating in the cosmos, only now it came back. He had missed the opportunity to see Taec’s bare back—but he was confident that he would see it as many times as he liked in the future.

“This—this is not a dream?”

Taecyeon laughed. He said, “Should I leave my spunk so when you wake up in the morning you will know that it is never a dream?”

“No!” Khun rejected. He was red again.

“Well, now, you have to believe that this is not a dream,” Taec said, looking down at Khun lovingly as he lied on his side, head propped on his knuckle. “We’re not drunk at all.”

“You’re not?”

“I usually get a bit tipsy after two or three bottles of vodka.”

“Heavy drinker…”

“Yeah, that’s what they call me,” admitted Taec. He let down his head and straightened his arm vertically above Khun’s head. He, then, enveloped Khun’s body with his. The feeling of their moist bare chests touching each other was heavenly. Taec blanketed them both and pushed Khun against him.

Smiling gently with eyes trained unwaveringly on Khun’s, Taec proposed: “Hey, now, how about we sleep? I feel sleepy right now, thanks to you. Do you mind being the little spoon?”

“Wh—what? You’re sleeping here?” Khun stammered. He was happy and nervous as well. What if Taec woke up in the morning and hated his sloppy morning face? What if he drooled over the pillow—or worse, Taec?

“Yeah, you don’t want me to?” Taec asked, cutting off Khun’s train of worries. Saying no was certainly the worst the decision ever (like, who would deny a human-blanket Ok Taecyeon? I can’t!)

“No—it’s okay, I guess.”

Taecyeon held Nichkhun tightly as the teen blushed hard in his embrace. Khun’s heart drummed loudly, but he could hear Taec’s heart loud and clear as he put his ear that sturdy chest. The beat was uncannily matching his own—as fast and thunderous. He was happy…

“I know for one thing, Khun, that when you wake up, you won’t be able to see me in eyes.” Nichkhun Horvejkul knew that Ok Taecyeon was absolutely right.


	14. The Last Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Khun could not believe how stupid he was. This was the last thing he would ever regret in his life.

When Khun woke up, he felt incredible soreness. He groggily sat up only to find that he was alone on his bed. He assumed that Taec was always a morning person, so he must have been awake. Khun looked at the clock. It was eight in the morning. He saw his sweatpants and shirt neatly folded on his desk with a small note that read: “No walking nude around the apartment”. He was tempted, though. He left the bed and put them on, opening the door, and instead of his beloved Taec, his shitty big brother was lounging on the couch like a slug. Khun searched the apartment. There was no trace of Taecyeon. No, nothing.

“Oi,” he yelled at his brother, “Where’s Taec- _hyung_?”

“He left in a hurry this morning when I got here. Didn’t even say where he had to go.”

“He didn’t say anything?”

“Nope. Why do you even care?”

“I’m not you.”

Khun was restless. His brother didn’t care. He raided Nichan’s phone and went searching for Taecyeon’s number in it. Despite Nichan’s harsh refusal, Nichkhun kept it and managed to input the number correctly. He threw the phone after that, right at his brother’s face. He heard the older man curse as he exited the apartment. He tried to call the number.

“ _Hey, this is Taec. Please leave a message—_ …” It was voicemail message that answered him. He pushed the end button roughly and redialed the number. Same message was played and Khun ended the call as quickly as the husky voice began to tell him who it was. The call wouldn’t get through. He paced around the neighborhood until an idea hit him.

He, somehow, managed to phone Ok group’s office.

“ _Ok Group’s HQ. State your name and what you want before I get suspicious._ ”

“Hey, I’m Nichan,” Nichkhun mimicked his brother’s voice as perfectly as he could.

“ _Oh, hi, man! So rare for ya to call this number. Whassup_?” The man’s tone automatically turned amicable.

“Just checkin’ up on the boss. Did he come home yet? I couldn’t seem to get through his phone.”

“ _Still so strict, aren’tcha? Heh. Nah,_ Hyungnim _hasn’t been back yet. Don’t worry, though. He stuck a note on the fridge that he will come back on Tuesday—Little Master’s birthday party will be at four! Don’t forget, okay? Thought he must be at the humble house right now with them._ ”

“I see. Thanks a lot, my man.”

“ _Anytime, pal_!”

Now that Khun knew Taec hadn’t been back home, he had to find an alternative. He must know where this man could be now. Asking his brother was out of question. Asking the man at the main office desk was not promising enough. Humble house? With _them_? Who? Where? What? Nichkhun could not even begin to think about the usefulness of the information he had just received. _What to do… what to do…_

Khun came marching to the hospital where Jay was treated for his wound. His face was gloom, no surprise here. Jay wasn’t aware that his friend was darker than usual. He went to him casually and greeted usually, saying how glad he saw Khun fine and dandy after what happened yesterday. Khun did not return the greeting. Jay did not know anything beyond the incident in his condo and the pier.

“Tell me where Taec- _hyung_ is. You know where he is, right?”

“What are you talking about?” Jay cocked his head, seemingly confused. Khun knew better than to turn in to Jay’s innocent play. He knew this kid had the information. He was bound to know. Khun repeated himself in a slightly changed phrase:

“You know where he would be if not back to his house, right? You know where his humble house is, don’t you?”

Jay folded his arms and asked, wondering: “Why are you searching for him?”

“You don’t need to know. Just tell me,” harshly Khun dismissed him. One of Jay’s crew came toward Jay and said to him:

“Hey, Jay, ya got a call—…”

“Not now, Lo—…” Jay tried his best to tell the friend away for now, but Nichkhun was very impatient right now.

“Fuck off. He won’t be doing anything else until he gives me my answer,” he said. Loco, the poor guy, slithered in fear. Nichkhun was very frightening when he was pissed off. No one wanted to get close to him at times like this. Jay watched his friend’s slumped back and sighed. He looked at Khun with eyes filled with pity—something Khun did not need at all. Junsu opened the door unannounced, beaming upon seeing Khun, but he quickly shut his mouth at Jay’s warning stare.

“I’ll tell you, okay? But you have to promise me that you won’t do anything foolhardy, all right, Khun?” Jay gave in.

“Whatever, just tell me. I have no time to waste.”

Jay still stared at him with begging eyes. He did not find this a good idea, but he could only sigh and surrender. He said simply, “Commonwealth Avenue, 1868.”

*****

It took Khun about thirty minutes to reach the area. He still had to search for the correct house. He did not know what to expect, what to find. His only concern this moment was to find Taec and ask him why he had left. The neighborhood was good, unlike the forsaken Norway Street where his cheap apartment was standing on. There were only new buildings here. No apartment, though, only houses—big ones. They had garage for each house and the fences were clean and pretty. Khun just knew that this was correct. Passing through the neat lanes, he paid attention to their yard. He found it, the bloody cheap car only Ok Taecyeon would still find it valuable in this town. Khun went to the green door and rang the bell confidently. The door was opened shortly and Taec was there, surprised.

“What are you doing here? Don’t you know how dangerous it is for you to go around on your own after yesterday?”

He stepped out of the house and closed the door behind him. He hastily pulled Khun by the arm and dragged him away.

“Why aren’t you picking up my calls?”

“My phone’s dead. I was just about to call you,” Taec said.

“You don’t even have my number,” Khun angrily retorted.

“Who said I don’t?” Taec boldly asked back. Of course, Khun rolled his eyes at his own stupidity. The fucking owner of the town could have anyone’s phone number and anyone’s address—practically anyone he wanted, really.

“Why did you leave?” Khun asked childishly. Taecyeon stopped and sighed. He stared down at Khun, worried.

“I have something important to do right now. I promised. Sorry I didn’t tell you, but I nearly forgot it.”

“Liar.”

“No, it’s true.”

“You left because you regretted it, right?”

“Yes, I regretted it,” Taec quickly confessed. It struck Nichkhun like a lightning. He stepped back and glared. “Because you are fifteen!”

“What does it have to do with anything?” Khun protested hotly. “It doesn’t matter when you like someone.”

“Yes, it does. Especially when it comes to…” Taec coughed and blushed. He did not want to bluntly say the word, not in public like this.

“I like you—I gave you my consent!” Nichkhun insisted. He felt his stomach churn as he said it. It was horribly embarrassing to blatantly say that, but it was necessary. It was a confession of sort and Nichkhun had just done it. He was thankful that Junsu was not here. He was red, but he kept his eyes on Taec’s.

“Look,” Taec sighed in defeat. “We will talk about this later, okay? Stay here, I’ll drive you to the nearest bus station.” He ran just like that. Nichkhun waited and then he was there, in the cheap car once again, driven to a station.

“When is your audition again?” Taec broke the silence first.

“Wednesday,” Khun replied begrudgingly.

“You’ll do great.”

“So you said,” coldly Khun rejected. The car stopped just as he said it. Red light above them. As they were waiting for it to turn green, Taec beckoned him, to which Khun could not help but concur. The man kissed him softly, but briefly. Nichkhun loved the kiss. Nichkhun loved everything about the man. Did his feelings remain one-sided?

“Anyway, how did you find me, Khun?”

“H—how…” Like hell Khun would tell him that he had to ask around. Moreover, Jay’s words would be considered treason. Khun got an idea, a very silly one. “Because I have an Ok-Radar.” He could feel his body turn red. He looked at Taec, who seemed to be neutrally affected by it. He was only smiling gently.

“Why won’t you laugh?! It was so embarrassing and it should be less embarrassing if you had laughed, _Hyung_!”

“What is it to be embarrassed about, Khun?” Taec broke out laughing. “I have Horvejkul radar anyway!”

“Stupid Ok,” Khun said, sulking.

“Pretty Khun.”

“Shut up!” Khun, blushing uncontrollably, protested. “Aren’t you embarrassed of yourself when you speak of cheesy lines like that?”

“No,” mindlessly Taec answered. “Because my cheesy lines are the fruit of my sincere thoughts and feelings for you. Of course, there is nothing to be embarrassed about.” Khun wanted to curl in a hole and hide forever. _This man is embarrassing!!!_

At least, it wasn’t as awkward as the start of their ride when finally they arrived at the bus stop. Khun did not know what to do anymore with the man. He was completely hopeless when it came to Ok Taecyeon.

“See you later, pretty baby,” said Taec, grinning like an idiot once again. He pulled a folded green out of his pocket and put it in Khun’s hand. “Should be enough to get you back and buy some snacks.”

Khun did not say anything. Taec waved at him before driving off. Khun waited. He walked back to Taec’s mysterious house. This time the car was not there. He glanced over his shoulder. No one was watching. He quickly went to the fence and climbed over it. The backyard welcomed him with forgotten hand-egg (that was a football?) between the grass and a blue child-sized car. Something was off.

Khun sought a loosely closed window at the back. He nearly knocked off a pair of gardening gloves and shears off the windowsill, but he was succeeded on his quest. He jumped in and he found himself inside a pretty luxurious house. The floor was made of wood, brown and shiny, very expensive, not to mention the rug in the middle. The couch looked lush from afar and felt triple plus comfortable when sat on. Khun found Taec’s duffle near the couch. The digital camera poked out of the open zipper. Khun took it out and out of curiosity he replayed the most recent recording.

There was a boy, no older than six, standing at the backyard with Iron Man shirt. There was something about this kid that reminded Khun of Taec. He thought it must be the ears, the bloody big mouse-ears and the lofty eyebrows. Damn eyebrows that were less of a caterpillar than ones he owned—Taec kept teasing him.

“ _Come on, Junior, sing it for_ Appa,” an overly familiar voice was heard very close. Taec was behind the camera. He was talking to the boy. Now with him was a beautiful blond woman, squatting next to Junior, smiling widely. The boy began to sing and dance while the beautiful lady followed him by his side, constantly watching him with a proud smile.

“ _Maru, maru, mori, mori, minna taberu yo. Tsuru, tsuru, teka, teka, ashita mo hareru ka na. Ookiku nattara osora ni koe ga todoku ka na, itsu made demo isshou da yo. Maru, maru, mori, mori, minna taberu yo. Tsuru, tsuru, teka, teka, ashita mo hareru ka na._ ”

Khun stopped the replay and shut the camera. He got to his feet, bewilderedly looking around the room. There were toys, boy’s toys, wherever he looked. A Lego set, robots, action figures, RC cars. These could not be Taec’s. That voice was clearly Taec’s and he referred himself as father. Khun’s head spun. That man, that man was married. Beautiful wife. Adorable son. Khun held his chest as he curled on the floor. He wanted to cry, but tears would not come out. It hurt.

Of course… of course… why would someone like Ok Taecyeon be single? Why would someone like him be interested in troublemaker like Khun? Why would he even want Khun when he could have anyone more beautiful? Nichkhun Horvejkul was getting ahead himself. How stupid he was to believe that Ok Taecyeon wouldn’t lie to him, wouldn’t leave him like his parents? That he wouldn’t make fun of him as Nichan did? Of course he left. Of course he would not stay. It was just the heat of the moment. He was drunk, no matter what he said. Nichkhun was a fool to believe that Ok Taecyeon really liked him that way. Nichkhun would have his revenge.

*****

He waited until the small family came back to the house. It seemed that they had just gone to buy the boy more toys. The boy went out with a blue inline scooter and began to play around the neighborhood. Khun saw this as an opportunity. He approached the boy and casually initiated a simple conversation. The boy was receptive, but he also ignored Khun for the most part. He was more interested in his scooter than Khun, obviously.

“Come on, Junior- _ah_. I was told by your dad to buy you some ice cream. Don’t you want some ice cream?”

It might be because his father had loads of subordinates that the kid accepted the offer naively. Nichkhun was supposedly using his limited Korean vocabulary to trick the kid into believing that he was actually honest with him. Khun grabbed his tiny hand and led him away from the house. He took it further than the kid expected and the boy was quick-witted. He stomped on Khun’s feet and pulled his hand away. He managed to run away. Khun chased him down and got him just by the lake. No one was around. He grabbed the boy by the arms and shook him hard.

“You run away from me once again! Once again and you’ll know!”

“Let go! Let go! Let go!”

The boy screamed and struggled, but Khun was so much stronger than he could ever be right now. The kid resisted for a bit more, but then he slipped his footing. He tumbled into dark waters. Khun's heart picked up speed. He screamed: _no, no, no, no, no_ , _what the fuck did I think? No, no, no!_

He looked wildly about the place. It was the loneliest part of the lake. He was desperate and he decided to dive in. The water burnt his lungs. He saw darkness. He reached a tiny body he could only sense by fate. He held it tightly against his chest and he got them back to land.

“I am so sorry. Sorry. Sorry. Please hang in there! I’ll get you back to your dad!”

He frantically wrapped the shivering boy in his wet hoodie. He sprinted speedily. His breath heaved. What the actual fuck did he think of doing, really! He ran blindly back to where he took him.

“Sorry, sorry! Go back in before you catch cold. Never talk to strangers like me again. I’m a bad guy. Go, sorry. Sorry, Junior!”

The boy ran into his house immediately and Khun turned away, hastily made his leave. He kept chanting of how messed up this situation was. He quickened his steps and before reaching intersection, he looked back.

“Khun!”

Taecyeon was hot on his heels. Nichkhun started crying inside. He ran as fast as he could. In the back of his mind, he knew he deserved to be strangled to death by Taecyeon, but his body just instinctively took off, intending on surviving.  His chest clenched tightly and his head spun fast. He did not know where he headed to and just let his long legs decide for him.

He sneaked a look at his chaser. He was speeding up. Of course, he would catch up. Nichkhun feared that he would not last any longer. His muscles hurt. His body lost all its surviving motivation. He felt goose bumps and suddenly his hair was pulled backward. He fell on his knees and rolled to the ground. It stung, the spot he was pulled. He was on his back, crying and gasping for air. An unknown beast loomed above, swinging its big and scary fist. Nichkhun gasped in fear and shut his eyes tightly. The impact never came. Instead, a loud roar was heard. The beast got to its feet and walked away with sad eyes. Nichkhun watched the broad back hunched as its owner went further away. Khun curled to his side. It was overwhelmingly painful that he was let off like that. He sobbed quietly there until dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The song sung by Junior in the video was this: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3a_jjHGyIQU> It's so cute!


	15. Off the Pot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath of Khun's yet worst mistake in his life, a happy continuation he never expected suddenly happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains my foremost intention--the first thing that I wanted to see. That's why I use TaecKhun because they ought to be together! This is not how Fish Tank ends, of course. This is also not the end of Octopus Pot. It's the actual beginning.

The crappy, shitty, useless big brother of his kept banging on the door for almost more than two hours. Nichkhun did not want to see him, or anyone. Junsu had come to get him in the morning, but he flatly refused. The next day, it was repeated, but Nichkhun remained unwilling to leave. He survived just from eating ice cream and _wurst_. He had locked the fridge so his life-sucking brother could eat his takeouts alone without touching his prizes from Jihyen- _noona_. Taecyeon actually visited twice, but all he did was greeting Khun through the closed door and wished him a good day as well as reminded him to eat properly. He cried every now and then because of it, but he tried hard to ignore his feelings and go on with his audition preparation.

On Tuesday, Junsu came with Jay after school. Surely, his brother did not appreciate their visit. They forced themselves in, of course. Nichkhun heard his stupid brother shout at his friends, “You can try, but he won’t come out anyway!”

“We’re not you,” sniped Junsu hotly. Khun was happy, but he didn’t utter any word.

“Watch your fucking mouth, fucking bastard!”

“Fuck you, Casino Bitch,” said Jay. At this, Nichan could not reply and the duo was triumphant. Jay knocked the door. “Khun, Khun! Come on, Khun. Come out.” He attempted to coax the teen slowly, but the bedroom owner was stubborn. “Khun, tell us what happened.”

“Go away!” Khun yelled. He didn’t want to talk about that. He would take this secret to his grave.

“Khun, Junsu’s brought Chunky Monkey for you!”

“Yeah, Khun! Come out and eat it!”  Junsu added ecstatically.

“Leave it by the door and just go home!” said Khun. He wanted the ice cream, but he did not want to see them. “Don’t let the dickhead touch the ice cream!”

“If you don’t come out, we won’t give it to you!” threatened Jay.

“Fine! Eat it by yourself!” Khun retaliated. He was about to cry, thinking of how mean his friends was (ice cream was always a big deal!). Jay knocked on the door again.

“Oi, Khun, come on!”

“FUCK OFF!”

“Told ya,” Nichan said leisurely as he enjoyed their shocked faces. “Even _Hyungnim_ couldn’t get him out of there.” Now the two widened their eyes, exchanging stares with each other in disbelief.

“What did you do now?” Jay asked, completely blaming Nichan for everything.

“Bastards! Why are you asking me?”

“You’re always the source of Khun’s suffering,” Junsu replied plainly. Nichan’s face was red from rage.

“Fucking brats! Don’t fucking blame it on me!”

“It’s not him!” Khun’s voice denied the accusation from inside the room. “Just leave now, please.” He lowered the voice. Junsu and Jay threw same worried look at the door.

“You heard him. It’s not my fault—not my fucking problem,” Nichan said, leaning back victoriously. Junsu leered at him, obviously disgusted.

“Shut your trap, shitty brother,” said he. Nichan was angrier than ever.

“Whatever comes out of your mouth disgusts me, trashy brother,” continued Jay mercilessly.

“The fuck—!”

Nichan never finished the sentence. Junsu and Jay had just landed a matching punch on his handsome face and knocked him out. They now stood in front of the door, listening attentively for a moment, then they stepped back.

“Hurry up and get well, Khun- _ah_. We missed you,” said Junsu, setting down the ice cream by the door.

“See you soon, Khun,” Jay said. They left after that and Khun didn’t come out. He opened the door briefly only to take the ice cream.

He left the apartment at first light of Wednesday.

*****

The dark glass door welcomed him with cold greeting. The address was correct, but Khun was not sure why would a dance audition take place in here. Well, it did not matter for now. He pushed the door and went in. There had already been several boys and the judges in here, sitting at the front rows of chairs by a narrow stage. A boy was performing on that stage right now.

That boy wore shorts and bracers, without a shirt. He danced to a sensual music and on the pole he glided and climbed. When his feet were on the stage again, he turned his back toward the audience, perking his butt and pulling his bracers forward. He swayed and turned, making dirty face while protruding his bare chest. The judges cooed loudly—they were two women and two men in expensive suits.

“You’ve got talent, baby, we’ll call you!” one of the female judges said to the boy as he descended of the stage.

“Next, uh, Mr. Ho—Hor—vejkul?” the other woman said with tongue tied. It was a happenstance since Khun’s Thai name was really hard to pronounce by American. Khun stood up and walked toward the stage. His costume was out of place, everything about him was out of place. He gloomily went, but he was stopped by a strong hand on his arm.

“Mr. Ok!” one of the men cried in panic.

“Don’t go there, Khun,” that familiar voice said, freezing Khun on the spot. His heart drummed loudly. The spot where that man held him on the arm was burning. “Come.” He was pulled right after. Khun was powerless against this.

“Mr. Ok, wait please!”

The man was grabbing Khun's arm rather than Taec's. Ok Taecyeon slapped the hand away, knowing no mercy.

“Don’t touch him with your dirty hand!”

It was a roar rather than angry holler. The man shrunk and bowed deeply in fear, holding his probably sprained hand. Nichkhun saw his bag was already in the man’s other hand. He could not even lift up his face to see the man’s head. He was afraid. He wanted to run away, but his legs were weak, very weak, right now. He could only comply quietly as he was led out of the club.

“Get in, please,” said Taec.

Nichkhun could not bring himself to deny. He wondered if this was the moment, the last moment of his life. At least Khun would leave the world looking at the face he loved the most. He was happy enough to know that.

The driver’s door clicked shut and the driver sighed. He started the engine. Nichkhun still kept his eyes on his hands that were tangled together with a piece of crumpled paper on which the audition details were written. The car went smoothly away, through familiar streets, but slowly it got further from where Nichkhun’s shitty apartment building stood. His fears grew tenfold.

“I shouldn’t have let you apply. I should have known what it was. It’s my fault,” Taec said, eyes focusing on the road.

Khun kept silent. He was so stupid and naïve. He believed this man’s encouragement and went to gamble on his fate, but he failed miserably. Why was this person even here, rescuing him from his yet worst humiliation of life? Khun felt an overwhelming regret. What he did to his son was unforgivable. He had never felt stronger guilt and more intense fear before. He wished Taecyeon would just kill him right now.

Then, the car stopped. They were now at the shore. Taecyeon tilted his head, gesturing Khun to follow him. He stepped out of the car and Khun quietly tagged along. This was the moment, he thought. Taecyeon led him toward a stranded wooden canoe by the shore. The wind felt incredibly cold today. This part of shore was deserted.

“I always come here when I need to clear my head. People never come to this spot,” said Taecyeon. He seemed serene. Khun was confused. His heart was heavy. It did not matter how tranquility calmed one down here, he could only feel burden.

“Why did you come, _Hyung_? Why did you come?” Khun muttered weakly against the brisk wind. Taec might or might not have missed it. He chose to keep his lips sealed. Khun went on dejectedly, “Why are you doing this? Are you going to kill me now?” This didn’t go unheard. Taec whipped his head quickly. His eyes widened dramatically and he was broodingly scary.

“What—no! How could you say that? I will never be able to do that to you!”

“After what I did? After I tried to…” Khun gulped and blinked rapidly as he tried to contain himself. “I… after I tried to kill your son.” He completed the sentence in quiet voice. He hung his head low and started to cry.

“What are you saying?” Taec held on to his arms, bowing to get to Khun’s eyelevel. His eyebrows furrowed deeply as he continued, “Junior said he went there himself and he fell because he was stubborn. He said you tried to prevent him, but he fell anyway and you saved him.” Khun’s cries now became audible.

“Why on earth would he say such thing?” Khun sobbed.

“Dunno. I believed him anyway,” exclaimed Taec. He loosened his grip on Khun’s arms. He stated, “Junior kept begging me not to punish you. He cried and pleaded endlessly until I promised that I won’t punish you and instead I will reward you.”

The kid was an angel. Khun felt unbelievably dirty. Taecyeon and his wife were great parents. They did a great job raising Junior. His parents used to be good parents until they turned their backs from their sons’ predicaments. He cried harder because he did not think he deserve this kind of kindness. He was squatting and hugging his knees. His head was buried between the arms.

“Khun- _ah_ ,” Taec called gently. He squatted next to Khun. “Khun- _ah_ , I’m sorry I chased you like that.”

“No,” Khun rejected, “you should have killed me!”

“Stop talking like that, Khun!” Taec hollered angrily. He forced Khun to look at his face, maintaining eye-contact. “I can’t kill you, Khun! I love you!” His eyes were speaking volumes more than his intonation could ever do. Khun’s heart palpitated. It swelled and readied itself to burst. He must hear it wrong!

“What…”

“I am in love with you, Khun,” Taec repeated softly. His expression softened. He said, in low baritone voice, “I couldn’t even bring myself to punch you even though I was angry and you deserved it, too, back then, so how would you expect me to kill you?” Khun knew he was right. Khun had wondered, too, why he stopped right before he landed his fist on Khun’s face. He was right—Khun deserved to be at least punched.

“Stop blaming yourself. The point is that you brought my son back safely. I was worried sick about him because I thought it was my fault. I promised him a three-day holiday with his parents as his birthday present, even my phone got confiscated, but then I let him wander off out of safety. I overreacted because I didn’t think. I’m sorry.”

“You—you can’t love me,” Khun denied stubbornly. “You’re married!” It hurt so much to hear sweet words that could not be true.

“I was, but no more,” Taec said. He put his hand on Khun’s cheek, rubbing it gently with his thumb.

“It was an arranged marriage. I told you, didn’t I, that my parents only cared about me producing an heir? Gou was perfect for that role. We married, we had Junior, and we agreed that we should go separate ways. We just can’t love each other like a couple. We split to pursue our individual love story. We stay civil to raise Junior into a great person.”

“I don’t believe you.”

It sounded like something a freaky fangirl would write to comfort herself after watching a heartbreaking movie that left her soul-less. Khun just could not believe that something this good existed in his reality. It should have ended like that, but why did this have a continuation? A _happy_ continuation, even. Nichkhun had never had something good that lasted.

“Do you want to see the papers? I have them in my car,” Taec offered, solemn. Khun faltered instantly. He knew he shouldn’t fall for this easily—knowing who he was talking to right now—but his stubborn mind and even stronger feelings for Taec didn’t allow him to retaliate against Taec’s words. He understood that this was not something Taec would fake.

“I find it hard to believe you,” admitted Khun.

“Is it that hard to believe me, Khun?” Taec asked, dejected. “I am truly sorry, but it doesn’t change how I feel about you.” This man didn’t understand the power he held in his words or the damage that these words caused to Khun’s mind and heart.

“I just… don’t know what to believe. I want to believe you, but it seems impossible. It is like a dream.”

“That’s your choice to consider this as a dream,” Taec answered, pulling back his hand from where it rested on Khun’s cheek. The touch was like burning amber on his skin, slowly fading. Taec stood up and exclaimed, “But it is my choice to be in love with you.”

The way Taec had said it was too light. It sounded as if it was meaningless, but Khun knew that it was just because Taec was very honest about his feelings. He did not try to hide anything. His words of description flowed freely like a river. Khun wanted to believe him, wanted to hold on to it, but he knew that the man would leave him anyway. Somehow he just knew this.

“Khun… do you know that you are my first male real-life romantic interest?”

“Huh?”

Khun was flustered once again. He was thinking of things he should not have. Taec, seemingly reading him easily, smiled and explained:

“Despite being a bi, I had had relationships only with females—I never had hooked up with any males, too. I think you are my perfect type. You are a man and you are beautiful like any woman, or perhaps beyond. You are in between the two genders and I just can’t help it. I have my eyes on you for the last three months. You were just a kid when we first met, but now you slowly grow into a fine man.”

Taec sighed. Khun’s round eyes widened.

“Re—really?”

“Your smile and your laugh… your voice, your personality… I am thoroughly captivated. I’m sorry,” said Taec again with a melancholic smile. Khun didn’t like the idea of him apologizing.

“Why are you… apologizing?”

“Because I took advantage of you. I’m sorry.”

Khun, blushing madly, stuttered weakly, “…But I… gave.”

“For that, I apologized,” Taec firmly told him. It was sincere. He was an adult anyway, Khun thought, he had loads to reason about. Even with his attempt to understand the man, Khun’s heart still sank slowly. He had terrible fear rising inside him.

“Even so,” Taec started—Khun anticipated nervously—“even though I meant every word, no matter how much I want you, I can’t be with you right now.” Khun’s heart sank even faster although he had expected it. He knew that this was coming. He saw it. He laughed in misery, in between his continually flowing tears. “Because you are still underage. I am an outlaw, but in this I don’t want to be against law. I don’t want to lose you,” Taec explained. He pulled Khun to his feet.

“What… what are you getting at…?” Khun asked, still sobbing quietly.

“I’m going to stay in Seoul for two years or so with Junior, Khun. We won’t be able to meet during that time. I hope—I truly do—if you don’t mind having a thirty-year-old man as your lover, I hope I can have you for myself when I come back. I want to marry you, Khun, but only if you want it, too.” He rummaged through his pocket and fished out a gold ring. Taec offered it to Khun with a shy smile.

“What is this?”

“I want you to have this. This is my gift for you, the reminder of my promise that we belong to each other—but only if you really want to be with me.”

Khun stared at the gold ring with polished ruby on it, a ring that looked like a vintage, if not antique. He stared at the hand that offered the ring to him—there was a matching manlier ring that looked like a signet ring. Could these be part of his family heirloom? Khun’s head was spinning.

Was he mad? Of course Khun wanted to be with him! Was this a joke? Was this a dream? What the hell was this? Khun wanted to cry again even before his previous lamentation had truly ended. He took the ring with shaky hands. He lifted it and slid the ban down his right ring finger—it was slightly loose on his long, thin finger. Taecyeon smiled radiantly, taking the ringed hand and kissing it.

“This I wholeheartedly thank you. This means everything for me,” Taec said with husky, sexy voice that melted Khun’s heart instantly. “Thanks so much, pretty baby,” added Taec, tousling Khun’s hair to enlighten the mood.

“I—I am not pretty!” Khun yelled, ears and cheeks flaming red. He lunged forward to attack Taec, but failed miserably. Agile big man Taec was!

“You are!” Taec insisted mischievously. “Pretty baby, be my lady~ wait, you are not a lady. I think it can work with something like ‘pretty baby, be my Khunnie’?”

“ _Hyung_! What are you doing really?!” Khun protested, pushing the older man right on the chest. The larger man purposely didn’t dodge, but really, he only stumbled a bit like a cursed stone sculpture. He let Khun slap and push him for a few minutes, enjoying the playful tantrum. Out the blue, he grasped onto supposedly attacker’s hands and grinned idiotically. He leaned down and said, smugly:

“You’re cute.”

“Shut up!”

“See? You’re not even denying it!”

“Shut up!” Khun whined.

Taec laughed and ran away. Khun chased him. It would be fine if Taec didn’t chase back and capture Nichkhun in his arms, trapping him effectively and then bringing him on his shoulder like a bag of rice. He released Khun eventually, but not for nothing. He suddenly video-called someone. Khun couldn’t read the name since it was written in Chinese character.

“Hi, _Appa_ ,” a mini version of Taec greeted from the screen.

“Taekhwan- _ah_ , here’s Angel- _hyung_. Look, he’s perfectly fine,” said Taec, directing the screen toward Khun. Khun’s eyes started to get teary when he saw the kid, healthy and happy. He tried to smile as he waved.

“Do you like the presents, Angel- _hyung_?”

“Presents?”

“Junior, no, I haven’t told him about that!” Taec intervened.

“But why?”

“Because I wanted to tell him as I drive him back home.”

“Oh, okay.”

The boy showed deep understanding. He was smart and he was observant.

“Why does Angel- _hyung_ look sad?”

“No, no, Angel- _hyung_ is not sad,” Taec handled it for Khun, stealing glance at him every other second. “He is very happy to see you that he almost cries. It moves his heart very deeply, Taekhwan- _ah_.”

“Ye—yes, I’m very happy to see you,” Khun managed to get a hold on himself. He blinked away the threatening tears and added, “I heard yesterday was your birthday, do you want me to get you something?”

Junior thought seriously for a moment. He shook his head, saying:

“No. I don’t want anything right now.”

“O—okay,” Khun felt awkward, “then, happy birthday, Junior. How old are you now?”

“Six.”

“You grew up fast.”

“He is,” Taec joined in leisurely. “Okay, then, Angel- _hyung_ and I have to go now. I’ll call you later, okay?”

“Okay! _Bbyong_!”

“ _Bbyong_!”

Taec and his son were equally cute. The father locked his phone and pocketed it. He smiled widely at Khun.

“See? He is fine.”

“But… what would he say if he knew…”

“If he knew his dad is marrying a guy?” Taec cut in. He cackled. “He picks up quickly, Khun. You don’t have to worry about his reaction. It runs in the family.” But Khun wasn’t convinced. Taec leaned in and whispered, “Is my proposal not good enough?”

“No, it’s not what I meant!” Khun reddened, fixing his eyes on the ground. Taec took his hand and led him to the car.

They were back on the road in no time. Khun was biting his lip because he was happy and excited, but then Taec drove him back to his apartment. Seeing his disappointment, Taec chuckled.

“I said I can’t be with you right now, Khun. You are not legal yet for me.”

Whatever, Khun sulked. He folded his arms on his chest and looked away. He even pursed his lips to annunciate how upset he was right now. Even so, Taec didn’t talk to him and instead he stared at Khun intensely without blinking. Khun began to squirm on his seat.

“I want to burn the picture of your beautiful figure into my memory right now so I can imagine you when I am lonely,” informatively Taec told him. Khun blushed.

“Pervert.”

“What else do you call an old man who has sex with a teenager and even proposes aforementioned teenager?” lightly responded Taec. Khun’s ears turned bright red and Taec chuckled—the devil, really!

“Oh, right, the present is some groceries chosen by Junior. All is in the trunk. Let’s get them out.”

“Okay…” Khun reluctantly said.

“Come on now, let’s get out,” Taec cajoled. He punched the seatbelt off and unlocked the doors. He was ready to get off. Khun’s hand shot up to hold on his coat’s sleeve. Taec’s eyes automatically went to the spot Khun hold him, and then he looked at Khun’s face. The kid didn’t look at him.

“Wa—wait, _Hyung_. I… since you… you won’t fuck me…” he stammered, braving himself to look Taec directly even with bright red face, “can… can you kiss me now before I have to go back to reality?”

Taec blinked for several times. His face remained expressionless for some moments until a smile broke on his face.

“How could I refuse my beautiful baby’s request?” Taec rhetorically asked back. He leaned down, kissing Khun on the lips softly, attentively. The kiss was innocent and sweet. When he pulled back, Khun was chasing him, but not quickly enough. Taec chuckled at the embarrassed Khun, who tried to conceal the fact that Taec noticed that.

“For now, let’s stick to this kind of kisses. When we are back together,”—Taec grinned ear to ear—“I will see you without anything obscuring my eyes from the view of your perfect body. You will see my birthday suit again, of course.” Khun smiled shyly and nodded.

“Let’s get off now.”

Taec unlocked the trunk and unloaded four bags of groceries that were too many even for a big man like Ok Taecyeon. Khun was commenting that this was too much.

“You need these to grow up strong and healthy, Khun. Cook, okay? I left a notebook of recipes I know in here, too. Your useless brother will only eat his shitty takeouts anyway, so you need better food. Promise me that you will tell me if he fails to do groceries or if he keeps his money to himself—or both. I can’t live day by day without worrying about you.”

“Yes, _Hyungnim_.”

“Good boy. Don’t get into trouble again, okay? I can’t be there now that we are not living under the same roof. I really grow old faster from worrying your wellbeing all the time.”

“You shouldn’t be.”

“I should because I care,” sternly Taec interjected. Khun stared at him with immense wonder, which earned him a sigh from Taec.

“Oh…”

“Don’t give me that face. It’s not _that_ surprising,” Taec said. Smiling, he caressed Khun’s hair lovingly. “Be careful, okay?”

“Okay,” answered Khun, cheeks tinted pink.

“Bye, pretty baby, my princess,” Taec said, running his fingers down Khun’s cheek and jaw for the last time before departing. Nichkhun blushed deeply and averted his eyes as he heard Taec refer him as his princess. It reminded him of that night. He was too absorbed into the sensation he could not even react to that term of endearment. He wanted to protest, but he enjoyed being Taec’s princess, so he kept quiet and just blushed.

Taec’s Nissan Altima was gone from sight within a minute. Nichkhun sighed and turned on his heels. He jumped in surprise when he found a certain someone standing in front of him with the widest smirk he ever saw on that face. He really wanted to slap this face—he truly, madly, deeply wanted to, but he wouldn’t. For now.

“Aww, pretty baby, you must be in cloud nine now.”

“Shit, Junsu! Stop spying on me! Why are you here anyway?”

“Neighbors, remember?” Junsu made a rapper gesture he picked up from Jay, which wasn’t entirely appreciated by Khun at the moment. He did not care, though, and just preceded on telling Khun his second reason to be present: “I was worried about you—but I knew you would come out today to go to your audition. I initially wanted to know how the audition went, but from the way it looks, I don’t think it matters. Right, _Princess_?”

“Shut your trap and help me with this, Mr. Kim!”

No way—Khun thought—he would never let anyone call him a princess other than Taec. So, Khun dumped two of five bags of groceries he got from Taec and Taec Jr. Junsu wobbled, surprised by the weight of those bags.

“Oh, this is heavy! You are much stronger than you look!”

“No, you are just weak,” flatly retorted Khun.

“Meanie!”

*****

“Where did you get all those?”

Nichan, the ever so loving brother, harshly interrogated Nichkhun as soon as his baby brother stepped into the apartment with Junsu. The neighbor helped him transporting everything to the kitchenette and excused himself right away, unable to socialize with his friend’s big brother. Nichkhun ignored him, quietly arranging the groceries inside _his_ fridge (yes, now it was rightfully his, Taecyeon actually threw out the old fridge when he moved in back then, and he left the key in the box where Khun’s toys and other things he took from Khun’s pockets were).

“Answer me, you fuckboy!”

Khun exhaled loudly, trying to contain his rage. He said, “Taec- _hyung_.”

“What, you two are in good terms again now?”

It stung.

“We’re always in good terms!” Khun denied vehemently. “That was me being sulky and stupid. He is too kind—unlike _you_ , my brother of blood and flesh!” He pointed at Nichan crossly with an eggplant. Nichan got up from the couch. Khun bent down to transfer the vegetables into the fridge.

“You little shit don’t know your place!”

Khun straightened his body and folded his arms, disagreeing. “Like hell I don’t! I don’t have any respect left for you anyway!”

“You!”

Nichan could not find anything to beat that. He was furiously red. Seeing him completely enraged made Khun feel triumphant. It mattered not that he could not do the audition, that the audition wasn’t what he thought it would be, today might be the happiest day of his life so far. Khun joyfully finished arranging every grocery item and, by the end of it, as he was locking the fridge, he informed his brother:

“Oh, I almost forgot. _Hyungie_ said if you failed to give me money for grocery, I would have to tell him.”

“Damn right you will—the fuck did he think of, that boss!” Nichan grumbled loudly, knowing well that it wasn’t an empty threat. He was terribly jealous—no, envious—of Khun right now. Nichkhun sniggered, swimming in his victory.

“You better do your job right, big bro.”

“Why is he like that to you?”

“He loves me!”

It sounded like a comical statement when Khun declared it, but inside, Khun could not hold back the dramatic effect of the words to his heart. It was true and it was right for him to say it. His dull big brother would not see it the way it actually was. He was dull and thick—why were their parents ever immensely proud of him years ago? Khun failed to recall anything. He loved it when his brother suffered like this.

“Shit—why does he see in you? Even stupid dead people saw that he likes you. The hell is it all about? You got nothin’!”

“I’m prettier than you!” Khun was happy to know he had the upper hand right now. His brother was really not good at thinking. The easiest prey to psychological attack, really. No wonder he got tangled into chain of debts.

“Damn it! I should’ve known. He always said that since he met you,”—Nichan began to speak mockingly, mimicking what he had heard before—“Like, ‘Where’s your pretty baby brother?’ or ‘Did you feed your cute little brother properly?’ or ‘You’re handsome but you got bad rep, while your brother’s beautiful inside-out but he hides away, total waste.’ Shit, why he’s like that? I hate him!” Nichan slumped back on his beloved couch.

Obviously, he was oblivious to the fact that his boss actually fucked his little brother and even intended to marry him as soon as he was legal. He did not even notice how everything he had just said actually led him to the reality that his boss was gay for Khun. Well, not that Khun would try to make him realize it. He had no intention to involve Nichan in this affair. His promise with Taecyeon was none of his brother’s business.

“So, what’re you going to do with the groceries? Eat salad and raw meat?” Nichan asked mockingly, finding new ammunition to attack Khun.

“Cook ‘em,” Nichkhun replied shortly. He made a cup of coffee.

“Who’d cook? You?”

“Yeah, why? It’s not like I’m gonna cook for you. You can eat your crappy takeouts on your own without worrying about me!”

“I bet your cooking’d taste like shit.”

“Even if it was burnt to coal black substance, I’d rather eat my cooking than eat takeouts you buy!”

“Fine, do that! I’ll never eat whatever you cook!”

“Good! Less trouble for me!”

Khun watched his brother stormed off the apartment while sipping his coffee calmly. He had never felt this happy recently. Truly, today was the best day of his life so far. Perhaps Khun had been trapped in the pot and perhaps he had been harvested, to die, but he didn’t mind. He had died the day his family left him. The least Khun did was living with his trapper. It was dangerous, he knew, but it was so much better than not living at all.


	16. Thunderous Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nichkhun met Taecyeon's ex-wife for the first time as he was required to say goodbye to his now betrothed.

In the end, no relationship was mended but Nichkhun and Taecyeon’s. At least Khun now tried hard to study and he began to do sport (track and field). He also went out more. Taecyeon sent him an electric keyboard, so he could practice his piano skill. Nichkhun spent a lot of time practicing and jamming with Junsu and Jay, occasionally with Jay’s crew as well. He found out that Jay knew about Taec’s marriage and divorce and son (well, Jay was a _Jopok_ member), but Khun didn’t get mad at him—Jay had sound reasons to keep it a secret from an outsider like Khun, mostly it was because Taec wanted to tell Khun himself after he was succeeded at _befriending_ Khun (obviously now he had). A fragment of his missing personality, slowly but limitedly, came back. He was changing back to the sweet prince(ss) he once was, sadly only for old people around the town and everyone who was polite and nice to him. He merely returned the sentiment, save for all teenage girls and his bullies. He was embraced into Ok Family’s _Jopok_ because he was favoured by Taecyeon. But, of course, he still would not talk to strangers.

*****

Today, Khun visited Taec at the Ok HQ—he received a message this morning from Taec, requesting him to come over, but it was actually sent by one of Taec’s subordinates, Simon, who thought that Taec had been pushing himself too hard. He was on the verge of collapsing when Khun arrived, completely fatigued, so Khun volunteered himself to be Taec’s energy charger. He made lunch in the morning (he now frequently wore the pink apron because he had no choice!) and brought it to school. In the afternoon, he presented it to Taec, who happily accepted it and gobbled everything down. Their relationship was mainly like this right now. Normally, they would only talk endlessly via phone-calls or just simply texted each other like two teenagers (it was unbelievable that one of them actually was an adult!). They never actually met since Taec gave Khun the ring, save for those times Taec dropped by the apartment.

For now, Taec was lying down on the long couch, using Khun’s lap as pillow. His jacket was abandoned on the rack. He looked more like a businessman, to be honest, rather than a gangster. Khun caressed his hair. He liked doing it as much as massaging Taec. The man liked it, too.

“ _Hyung_.”

“Hmm?”

“What did you think when Jihyen- _noona_ supposedly threw me to your side and made me accidentally sit on your lap that night?”

Khun still blushed every time he remembered it. It was embarrassing. He was thrown there and he didn’t come down even after they were safe. Thanks to Taec for buying such old car that did not have seatbelts at the backseat. He found out that day that he liked to be manhandled by Taec.

“I had to keep cursing on those thugs to resist my desire—it was really hard, Khun, you should know,” Taec replied with his eyes closed. His voice was really husky, the byproduct of his tiredness.

“So, you actually feel sexual tension when you’re with me?” Khun asked without thinking. Taec clicked his tongue, smiling faintly.

“Are you really asking me this now?”

“Sorry.” Although Khun was not really sorry and Taec knew.

“And I wasn’t asleep that stormy night,” Taec confessed. “I was, but then you touched my ear. I woke up, never going back to sleep until I took you to your room.”

“What?” Now this was embarrassing, caught red-handed. Khun stammered, “You… you weren’t? Then, how did I fall asleep?”

Taec chuckled and explained, “You slept with your mouth open and your hand on my chest. I was tempted to keep it like that, but I thought you might catch cold, so I took you to your bedroom.”

“Piggyback?” _It would be less humiliating._

“Bridal.”

“I knew it!” Khun cried. He was bright red now. Taec had done that when he was wide awake, back on that rough night where there were so much bullets and blood. Therefore, Taec did it to save Khun, it was so much different. Khun didn’t even have time to enjoy that.

“Hey, Khun, isn’t it time for your practice?” Taec asked. His eyes wide open, his left arm raised to his chest level. The wristwatch showed it was ten to five.

“Oh, you’re right! Junsu’ll try to kill me if I am late.”

Taec sat up, unhurriedly, still collecting back his spirit. Khun jumped off the couch, gathering his belongings.

“At least it will be just an attempt,” Taec said.

“Like he will ever be successful, _Hyung_ ,” parried Khun arrogantly. The prince was at it again, Taec was amused.

“I’ll drive you there.”

“No way! You’re tired, _Hyung_ , stay here.”

“Have Donny drive you there, then.”

“Fine,” accepted Khun. He could not deny every single thing Taec offer, only some he could actually turn down. He loved to be lavished with Taec’s affection. He waited for Taec to finish his command to one of his men downstairs via intra-office phone. Khun, then, sat on Taec’s lap and kissed him on the lips.

“Don’t try to seduce me now, Your Highness,” Taec warned him as Nichkhun was running his hands all over Taec’s back and pressing his body on to Taec’s sturdy chest. Khun smirked to his lover’s lips, massaging them gently before pulling away.

“One can try, Your Majesty,” Khun said.

“What a naughty boy,” Taec said, smacking said naughty boy’s ass playfully.

“I have to be naughty. You’re going out of town again.”

“For now we are separated for only a week, but next time, it will be a couple of years.”

“Don’t remind me, please.”

*****

“ _Neesan! Neesan!_ ”

The woman strode quickly toward the crew’s secret hideout, where they gathered every day in a deserted storage room under an innocent-looking diner. She took off her sunglasses and went under the shade. It did not make her neatly braided long platinum blond hair, that was put on the side tastefully, less shiny, or her snow white complexion less smooth. Her guitar-outline body was a total killer and her nearly bare face was impossibly beautiful, making it hard to look at her. She brought herself with dignity and composure of a queen—a grey-eyed queen.

Jay realized as soon as she appeared, and he almost jumped when he heard Japanese words spilled within a hundred meter-square area. He ran to her and bowed. He greeted her politely, so unlike himself.

“ _Neesan_ , welcome!”

“How is your leg, Jay?” she returned the greeting as warm as a block of ice could be.

“All healed, thanks, _Neesan_. May I know what brings you here today, so I may assist your needs?”

“I’m looking for him today.”

“I’m sorry?”

“You know who I am talking about.”

“Yes, of course, I’ll get him now!”

Jay stormed off as the lady waited. He looked for a certain angelic-looking Thai that attracted so many problems without even trying. He found the boy sitting at one corner, watching Wooyoung teach Loco (who only knew how to dab) how to do a goddamn cover of Madonna’s Vogue that no one fucking wanted to see. The boy looked so happy. Jay could only say that because Nichkhun was fucking laughing his ass off. It was like looking at an entirely different person—Jay did not know this cheerful kid wearing grumpy, anti-social rebel Nichkhun. Things had changed quite drastically since he kind of messed up his audition downtown. Jay didn’t want to know why or how a messed up audition helped his friend to be happy, but he did no really care as long as it helped. He did not even want to know what Khun was up to now with his boss. He was concerned about the one looking for him now.

“Khun! Khun! Come here!” Jay called out urgently. Nichkhun heard him and immediately got to his feet albeit reluctant to do so. He was in the middle of laughing right now because, for him, the duo was too funny. Jay could not be bothered with this right now—he proceeded to push the stupid duo and dragged Khun with him.

“What the hell, Jay! This is the climax!”

“Yeah, _Hyung_! This is the best part!” Wooyoung even knew how to rebel against Jay.

“Shut up! Rina- _neesan_ is here!”

“Oh, boy!” Loco quickly shut his mouth and went to huddle up with the rest of the crew. He dragged clueless Wooyoung with him. Nichkhun looked around, still oblivious about the situation.

“Who’s Rina _-neesan_?”

“You’ll meet her soon enough. Come on.”

Nichkhun’s face went pale when he saw the lady Jay brought him to. He might have just seen her once, but he knew exactly who she was without introduction. She was Taecyeon’s ex-wife, Junior’s mother. She threw him a cold, unreadable look. There was a reason why Taecyeon hadn’t let Khun meet her—as Taecyeon said:

“Gou’s really picky about people. She’ll only meet ones she wants to meet. Just wait. I can’t decide it for her, she decides everything for herself. I’m sure she will like you, though. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“Oh, you’re really pretty,” she said as soon as Nichkhun and Jay were right in front of her. She flashed a hint of smile in her eyes. “Come with me,” she commanded, pulling Khun’s wrist lightly. Nichkhun turned to Jay, quietly begging for help, but the bloody Korean-by-blood smiled apologetically and mouthed that he should just go with it.

They ran into a passing Junsu, who immediately realized the presence beside Khun and automatically bowed deeply. Junsu straightened his body only after they were ten meters away. He waved a hand at the silent-screaming-for-help Khun. Traitors, Khun thought.

Now Nichkhun Horvejkul was sitting awkwardly face to face in a flashy limousine with Junior’s mother. She was beautiful and Khun felt uneasy. She looked very intimidating with her stylish Lavin’s black velvet coat, black smooth knee-length dress, and prime patchwork leather boots. Nichkhun couldn’t take his eyes off her. Even though he was gay and he knew he would rather sit with her ex-husband, Khun understood instinctively that a beauty was a beauty, and one did not simply ignore a beautiful view presented before their very eyes. Nichkhun’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets when suddenly a friendly, warm smile bloomed on that gorgeous face.

“I cannot believe such angelic-looking person has caused a quite grave predicament,” she said pleasantly. “How adorable. I understand why Taec loves you.”

Khun had to turn away; he blushed.

“Do not worry,” she said. “I simply want you to be present at the airport. The Taecs are leaving for Seoul today. He told you not to come, did he not? He thought it would be a bad idea having you there even though he longs for it. Junior constantly asked us to bring you over. I opposed, until now. I consider this is the perfect momentum for you to meet him.”

“Are you not going with them?” Nichkhun didn’t know where he found the courage to speak back to the lady, but he was glad the lady did not seem to mind.

“No. I shall visit them occasionally. For Junior, mostly.”

Nichkhun nodded. They did not converse more for minutes. Khun squirmed on his seat. It was still hard for him to be comfortable with the woman.

“Anyway, pardon the late introduction, but my name is Gouzen Gou. I believe you must have heard my ex-husband refer me as Gou, but people commonly address me with my Italian name, Catherina, or simply Rina, followed with _neesan_.”

This was Gouzen Gou (轟然梧雨), who was born of Gouzen- _gumi_ ’s leader and Luciano Mafioso family’s current leader’s daughter. Her Italian name was Catherina Luciano. She had a twin brother who was running the business for their Italian mother’s family business meanwhile she took care of their father’s Japanese family business. Without a doubt, she was one of the most dangerous people in Massachusetts and here Khun was, sitting with her. Not only Khun had associated himself with the future leader of American-Korean mafia group, he now had to deal with a woman who had blood of both Italian and Japanese mafia leaders. The conclusion was Khun did not know how dangerous the world until he fell in love with Ok Taecyeon.

*****

It was quite magical that the public airport had been invaded by men in suit everywhere. For oblivious people, it might look like something normal, but once one recognized the characteristics, it was hard not to pinpoint that they were actually guarding something—or rather, someone. Rina led Nichkhun toward a certain hunk sitting with a handsome boy guarded by two men in suit.

One of aforementioned bodyguards spotted Nichkhun and went to keep him away from their boss as soon as Nichkhun was near enough. Alas, Rina swiftly stepped forward, efficiently knocking him down with a simple sideway punch to the face. The man hit the floor hard and Nichkhun’s eyes were wide—he didn’t even have time to realize that he was about to be attacked. The lady leered down coldly.

“Do not touch him. He belongs to the Taecs,” she firmly declared.

“Mama!”

The handsome boy leapt off his chair, running toward Rina to hug her. The ice queen smiled broadly and returned the hug without thinking. Nichkhun stood there, observing as he secretly enjoyed the view as much as envied the affection display. The boy was lucky to have loving parents, even though said parents had divorced, unlike his—who didn’t split, but didn’t provide Khun adequate amount of affection.

“How did he grow so nicely with divorced parents?” Khun had asked one day. Taec raised his eyebrows at this question. He returned the question mercilessly:

“How did you become a real rebel with parents still together?”—to which Khun did not have anything to defend himself, or his brother, who was much worse than Khun.

“Why did you bring Khun here, Gou?”

The voice brought Khun back to reality. Taecyeon now stood before Khun, supremely handsome in absolutely-not-flashy-and-inarguably-expensive black velvet suit and shiny dress shoes. Rina rolled her eyes.

“Terenzio[[1]](http://www.asianfanfics.com/chapter/add_chapter/1152545#_ftn1) wanted to meet him—in case you didn’t remember,” she replied sarcastically. The boy freed himself from his mother’s arms and went to hug Khun. Certainly, the teenager was flabbergasted when he received a hug from a boy who wasn’t tall enough to reach his chest, only up to his waist now. Khun didn’t have any other option than to return it.

“Angel- _hyung_!”

“ _Neesan_ , did you hit me or did you try to kill me?” the man on the floor groaned in pain, finally getting back his consciousness. He sluggishly recovered and then he was back to his position. Rina snorted, very ladylike, as posh as a woman could be—one that could rival a real queen with a throne and a kingdom.

“Again with the physical justice, Gou,” criticized Taec. He put a hand in his pants’ pocket, seemingly disagreeing, but there was obvious fondness that was showed in his expression. The lady stood up gracefully and dusted her attire.

“It’s cooler,” exclaimed she snobbishly. Junior let Khun go to respond to this.

“Mama’s so cool!”

“Right?” Rina said, happy with big support from her son. “I’m not choco-vanilla like you, Taec. I am hardcore _Carolina Reaper_! Right, Terenzio?” The son nodded cutely at the declaration. Taec chuckled, saying that it wasn’t entirely wrong.

“Angel- _hyung_ , Angel- _hyung_ ,” Junior called, tugging at Nichkhun’s shirt, “ _Appa_ didn’t punish you, did he?” Nichkhun blinked and quickly shook his head. He crouched so that he was on eye level with the kid.

“No, no! He didn’t!”

“He gave the presents, right?”

“Yes! Loads of them—my fridge couldn’t be closed because of the presents!”

“Really?” Junior’s eyes sparkled as he heard it. “Did you like them? I picked them with _Appa_!”

“Yes, I did, a lot!” Khun firmly answered, smiling. “A—and he gave me a… uh, this ring! This ring,”—Nichkhun showed Junior the ring on his finger—“…is made of gold and very valuable.”

“Oh, he did?” Junior now tilted his head up to look at his father, who was training his eyes on them.

“See? Told you I rewarded him handsomely, Taekhwannie. Will you believe your _Appa_ now?” Taec asked with a smile. Junior nodded and hugged the father.

“Yeap, thanks, _Appa_!”

“You gave him the heirloom ring that you said you wouldn’t even let me touch it?” Rina questioned, a playful smirk was full on show. “Way to go, _Takuen-sama_[[2]](http://www.asianfanfics.com/chapter/add_chapter/1152545#_ftn2)!” Taecyeon narrowed his eyes.

“Hey! You said you can’t accept that because you knew I didn’t love you like that!”

“I know, I know. Don’t worry, giant fool, I’m your supporter!”

“Should I call _him_?” Taec retorted. Rina’s face hardened. She pointed a finger at Taecyeon and coldly warned him:

“Don’t. You. Dare.”

“Why? I am supporting you in return!”

“Shut it or I’ll strangle you.”

“Come on now, you can’t do such things with Junior around.”

“This is exactly why we can’t stay married!—But, hell, I like this.”

“I do, too. I do, too, Gou.”

Watching the two made Khun slightly uneasy. They had a dynamic that one would easily envy. Rina, then, stepped aside and held her hand to her boy.

“Terenzio, come with Mama for a bit. Mama has something to give to you. _Appa_ must not see it, though.”

“Yay!” the boy cheered.

“Why can’t I see it? It’s so unfair!” Taec whined, uncharacteristically cute.

“Silence!” Rina retaliated. “Our son can’t do well without a little secret from his father, right, Terenzio?”

“ _Hai~_!” the kid answered sweetly. The mother and son walked away from Taec and Khun. The guards were motioned to join them, guarding the only son of their future leader. If anything, it looked like that Rina planned to give space for him to be alone with Taec.

“She is really good at diverting attention. No wonder she is a Gouzen[[3]](http://www.asianfanfics.com/chapter/add_chapter/1152545#_ftn3),” said the man fondly. Unknown to him, Khun felt evil jealousy boil hotly inside him.

“You look perfectly in sync with her. Why didn’t you stay together?”

Taec stared at him, recognizing his upset look as well as the rebel tone that expressed how unwell Khun’s heart right now. He turned to directly face Khun, and said:

“Again with the question. Look, Khun, both of us have our hearts somewhere else. Gou’s situation is quite complicated—more than ours. She is always attracting troubles because she never likes boring stuffs. She married me because I am Korean, but she fell in love with the heir of Chinese mafia family Li, who was taken away by his own mother and now is number one wanted Wu. You know, Wu-Shall-Not-Be-Named.”

Khun rolled his eyes.

“Get out!”

But that was the highest form of appreciation for puns, as said by pretty much everyone who loved puns. Taec defended himself by, what else, throwing in another pun:

“But it’s You-Know-Wu!”

“Shut up!” Khun could not help it, he laughed at the puns although he thought it was quite lame. Taecyeon grinned proudly.

“Made you laugh!”

“Damn,” cursed Khun as he realized that he had been laughing all this time. Taecyeon suddenly leaned on close, whispering to his ear:

“It turns me on when you curse with that pretty face, princess.”

Khun’s heart leapt and blush attacked his face. Every single word that constructed that sentence excited him. He pushed the man away as he was averting his eyes.

“Shut up! Go away!”

“But I will, in a few minutes,” Taecyeon responded without waiting. The reply delivered a pang to Khun’s heart. _Damn it, Ok Taecyeon_. He pouted and lost his vigorous playfulness.

“You sure know how to provoke my feelings,” muttered Khun.

“That’s why you love me,” Taec uttered, shamelessly.

“Sh—shut up!”

If Taecyeon kept this up, Khun would not be able to return to his arrogant, rebel Khun persona. He would go around the town with perpetual blushing face and silly love-struck smile. Fortunately, it was time for Taecyeon and Junior to go on board.

“Seems like it’s time for me to go,” said Taec. He turned his eyes toward his son and son’s mother. The two were walking back to them right now.  Taecyeon used the chance to whisper again, “Goodbye, pretty baby. I will miss you so much, my princess.” He chuckled as he saw Khun red again. He began to walk away.

“Wait!” Nichkhun cried, hand involuntarily shot up to grab Taec’s arm. “Can—can I… can I give you a hug first, _Hyung_?”

Taecyeon smiled gently—it made Khun’s knees weak. He turned and opened his arms wide, inviting. “Sure. Come ‘ere.” The teenager literally slammed his body into the man’s embrace. It would be their last hug. Then, Taecyeon leaned down, pecking Khun’s cheek.

“Why—why?” Khun asked as he jerked, bright red. Taecyeon innocently answered:

“It’s normal for Italian people.”

“I want to hug and kiss Angel- _hyung_ , too!” Junior hopped to them, pestering his tall father about it. Taecyeon gestured with his head, that he could just do it without his permission. Nichkhun offered it himself in the end.

“Come here, Junior!”

Then, it was the last time Nichkhun saw the father and son. He could not help but feeling incredibly lonely as he watched the plane take off, and flew away. He touched the ring Taecyeon had left him with. It was a family heirloom. The man was not playing with Nichkhun—now all he could do was wait.

 

* * *

[[1]](http://www.asianfanfics.com/chapter/add_chapter/1152545#_ftnref1) Ok Taekhwan, Taecyeon and Rina’s son, has two legal names, which the other one was Terenzio Luciano. His mother preferred to call him by his Italian name, just so that he wouldn't forget his other ancestry.

[[2]](http://www.asianfanfics.com/chapter/add_chapter/1152545#_ftnref2) This is one way to interpret Taecyeon’s name in Japanese.

[[3]](http://www.asianfanfics.com/chapter/add_chapter/1152545#_ftnref3) _Gouzen_ (轟然), Rina’s Japanese surname, means thunderous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be the last chapter, my dear subjects readers. I have had so much fun writing this, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.


	17. Dawn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It is the dawn of a new day. Nichkhun's life continued. His lover was here and his life could not be more perfect.

It was the last day of school—June 24th! Jang Wooyoung was sprinting out of the school to greet his seniors. They were up to something today. That something was concerning one particular prince. Yes, for one obvious reason, today they kidnapped Nichkhun Horvejkul to a mall and forced him to buy new clothes accompanied by completely fashion-blind Jang Wooyoung, who had claimed to be privately taught by the gorgeous, impeccably fashionable Gouzen Gou aka Rina- _neesan_. The old combo waited outside like two old men accompanying their wives to shop.

“Where we are going again this evening?”

“ _Neesan_ ’s hotel restaurant, Minjun- _ah_ , where else can we drink?” Jay said, teasingly. The other guy, who had changed his name to Kim Minjun since his eighteenth birthday, punched Jay’s arm lightly because he felt insulted.

“You mean the expensive Nine One Hotel’s restaurant? I can’t believe I agreed to this. I mean, can we back out now?” Minjun asked, genuinely paled at the thought of them going silly in a luxurious hotel and sullying their group’s name.

“This is not for us, remember? It’s for Khun,” Jay said, reassuring.

For some obvious reason, there were groups of females standing around the clothing store. Minjun tried to act cool and directed a sexy look at one of the gathering girls—but he was flatly rejected with a disgusted expression (really, now, some girls out there would kill to get that flirty look directed at them, what was wrong with you?). Jay shook his head and mimicked his gesture identically, but unlike Minjun, he received positive reaction that included some of the girls shrieking maniacally and jumped with hands interlocked together, definitely happy with the flirty gesture Jay gave them.

“What the hell…” Minjun refused to believe how he was beaten by Jay.

“It’s all about your looks, _Hyungnim_ ,” a voice gravely pointed out. It was Jang Wooyoung. He had come out of the store, ahead of the one he was taking care of. No wonder they suddenly heard the girls whisper loudly the word “cute”.

“Why are you here, Wooyoung- _ah_? Where’s Khun?” Minjun interrogated.

“He said I should go ahead,” answered Wooyoung flatly. Then, as if on cue, the crowd went wild. Nichkhun Horvejkul emerged from the shop, looking pristinely handsome (beautiful) in bright multicolored satin shirt and neat dark blue trousers.

“That’s what I call ‘Thai Prince Effect’,” said Wooyoung out of the blue.

“I’d say it is ‘Ice Prince Effect’, just see,” Minjun said, folding his arms in anticipation. The three of them waited patiently as said prince was stopped by a random girl. The girl handed him a pink envelope and Khun accepted it expressionlessly.

“What is this?” Khun asked.

“L—love letter!” the girl answered nervously. What a novel scene—was this a Japanese romance comic scene? Khun smiled briefly, but then he shredded the letter to pieces mercilessly. The birthday boy hastily left the flock of pests and approached his waiting friends. The routine made the girls go wilder—as if it was the coolest thing they ever saw, even for the girl whose letter was flatly rejected.

“Ouch, so cold!” Wooyoung shouted.

“Ice is cold, but colder is our Khunnie’s heart,” Jay recited.

“Why are the girls like that?” Minjun asked.

“Because it’s Khun. Shame, Khun will never care for any of them,” Jay answered, shrugging his shoulders. “Good job, Woo. The clothes are perfect,” he said to the youngest among them, praising him. Wooyoung beamed brightly.

“ _Neesama_!” Suddenly Khun gasped, hastening his steps. The three boys blinked and slowly processed the word. They turned to their right only to find Rina standing idly there, colder than ever.

“ _Neesan_! You are here!” they yelled.

“ _Neesama_ , how are you?” Nichkhun asked, bowing courteously in front of the lady, whose hair was now orange for the sake of summer. She looked incredibly cold despite wearing that color for her hair, perhaps because she had on her one Erdem’s pale blue ruffled dress with sleeves that seemed like transparent layer of ice.

“I’m good,” Rina answered coolly. She trained her eyes on Khun’s attire. “I see that Woodong has learnt well.” She turned to aforementioned kid and offered him a small smile that was as rare as black diamond. The kid practically shone upon receiving the praise.

“Yes, although all he did was telling the shopkeeper around.”

“What matters to me is that it worked,” Rina firmly stated. She handed Khun a paper bag, one that obviously was from a designer shop. “Happy birthday, Ice Prince.”

“Thank—thank you, _Neesama_!” Khun blushed as he accepted the gift.

“Here’s for you, too, Angel- _hyung_!” a small voice popped in along with another paper bag. Khun accepted it without much thought.

“Thank you so much, Junior—eh, Junior?!” Khun didn’t realize that the kid was there all this time. His faithful friends were laughing their asses off watching this. What a bunch of great friends they were! The kid was so tall now. Khun could actually hug him to his chest. He was very handsome, too.

“The Taecs have been in town since yesterday,” Rina informed flatly. “Didn’t the bigger one tell you?”

Khun’s heart pounded loudly as he shook his head. No way—he had been here since yesterday and Khun had no idea. The man had supposedly ignored him for the last few days, telling him to focus on his preparation for college, but certainly this wasn’t what Khun had in mind when Taec said that.

“You are so tall now, Junior,” Khun said, diverting his disappointment. The kid beamed proudly.

“Yeah! I eat loads of vegetables and meat like _Appa_ said! I’ll be as big as _Appa_ when I grow up. Don’t you think so, _Hyung_?”

“Yes. I don’t doubt it at all.”

Junior grinned widely and his mother caressed his hair with a warm smile. Khun had learnt that being an adult who supported a kid would give the kid more reason to be a better adult. He was proud of himself for his kind words just now.

“Taec is scheduled to meet you tomorrow because he has meetings with the higher-ups today,” Rina said. Khun’s heart sank. It wasn’t like he looked forward to celebrate his eighteenth birthday with Taec. He didn’t even know that the Ok had come back today. He didn’t have any right to feel disappointed.

“Oh, I see.”

“You sure show your feelings clearly,” teased Rina.

“What are you talking about, _Neesama_!” Khun yelled, reddening.

“Don’t act as if you don’t know, Khun,” Minjun added.

“Would you like to see your face on the mirror?” Jay offered.

“No use, Ice Prince- _hyung_ , it shows too obviously,” Wooyoung joined in. They were all conspiring against him.

“I just want you to be extra cautious when you meet Taec,” Rina said. “He is always a beast during the first meeting of reunion.”

“What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean—although I don’t know how unhinged he would be with you compared to my experience. You are his favorite, after all.” The lady smirked, breaking the figurative layer of ice that covered her face. In an instant, Nichkhun’s mind went awry as he finally recalled that Rina _had been there_ before. He reddened out of jealousy and anticipation and rage (that he could not meet Taec tonight). Junior tugged at Minjun’s sleeve.

“Angel- _hyung_ is always red every time we speak of _Appa_ , right, _Samchon_?”

“Well noted, Junior!” Minjun said. Khun wanted to dig a hole and stay there until the end of time. _His kid is as cheeky as he is—I hate him!_

*****

Ten minutes later, they sat together in a private lounge in Nine One Hotel’s restaurant. Nichkhun pulled off his bored face as he threw his body on the comfy couch. The waiter came to leave them with menus.

“Say, why am I hanging out with you again?” Khun asked, mindlessly flipping the pages of menu he had in his hands.

“We’re going to celebrate your birthday, of course!” Minjun answered.

“And we’re eating at _Neesama_ ’s restaurant?”

“DRINK UP!” Minjun and Jay cheered together. Wooyoung the innocent one even did not mind being dragged into this.

“Geez, you two are grandpas.”

Even so, about an hour later, they had three bottles of wine emptied. Wooyoung, of course, didn’t drink as much as the adults (still underage to buy alcoholic drinks, but whatever, Rina- _neesan_ said they could drink, so they drank anyway). He drank wine only one glass and then he mainly drank juice. Khun had a bottle to himself, while the grandpas competed to out-drink each other. They were stupid, but it made the whole thing fun. Honestly the three of them were practically drinking grandpas except for Wooyoung (just because he was prohibited to drink too much by Rina so someone would be sober enough to deal if there were _casualties_ ).

“Oh,” suddenly Minjun and Jay gasped. They gulped down their glasses and neatened up their clothes. Wooyoung followed their example.

“What are you doing?” Khun asked, baffled.

“It’s time to go now,” Jay simply answered, standing up.

“Now? So abrupt?”

A group of _mariachi_ band came, singing birthday song with Khun’s name in it. Khun covered his face and thought of how embarrassing it was. Why did it have to be _mariachi?_ This hotel belonged to a Japanese-Italian woman, not Mexican! Even so, the trio was still going to leave him.

“You’re not going anywhere, bastards!” Khun demanded.

“No way, we can’t disturb your quality time,” Minjun said, his tipsy hands drawn an invisible string in front of his chest.

“Good day _, Hyungnim!_ ” Wooyoung hollered as he bowed at someone who stood behind the band.

“Do you really think that I would pass up the chance to meet you on your birthday, Mr. Horvejkul?”

That perfect pronounciation of his name—that perfectly manly, husky, low decibel voice! Khun’s heart clenched as he watched the band leave on cue while still play stupid exciting romantic music Khun could go without today. They revealed a tall man in dark blue suit, holding up a bouquet of red roses. He stepped forward. For every step, Khun’s heart rate increased. By the time Taecyeon stood before him, handing him the bouquet, Khun was ready to pass out.

“Happy birthday, Princess.”

“ _Not here you stupid handsome fool!_ ” Khun wanted to say, but no words would come out of his mouth as long as those dark eyes fixed on his, penetrating deeply with such warmth and passion that easily weakened anyone’s resolve.

“So, we’re leaving Khun in your capable hands, _Hyungnim_ ,” Jay said.

“Yes, leave everything to me.”

“Literally everything!” Minjun added excitedly—he was drunk. Wooyoung and Jay sighed and went to secure their friend. Khun, who was flustered, barked at them:

“You bastards!”

“Bye-bye, Khun!” sang Minjun.

“Happy birthday, Sweet Prince,” Wooyoung said.

“How do you know he is sweet?” asked Taecyeon, quite darkly.

“You can tell sweets are sweet just from looking, _Hyungnim_ , without tasting them!” And Jay to the rescue! Taecyeon was still deep in contemplation even so. Khun sensed something was coming.

“What joke you are trying to pull off, Ok Taecyeon?!” Khun jumped in before the joke could be launched. Taec chuckled.

“I just wanted to see you worked up, Khun. You know I love teasing you.”

“I hate you,” Khun said, looking away with his bright red face and pouty lips. The trio started to walk away.

“Bye, _Hyungnim_ ,” Wooyoung said for the three of them. Taec waved curtly.

“Thanks. Be careful, you guys.”

Khun approached Taec timidly. He clung to Taec’s seemingly bigger arm than he remembered with one hand. He looked up, adorable eyes on full force. He pouted and asked the man:

“So… what do we do now? I’ve had my dinner and drunk quite a lot.”

“You’re still sober,” said Taec, brushing the corner of Khun’s lips with his thumb. Khun sheepishly smiled.

“Turned out I’m a heavy drinker, too.”

“I see,” simply Taec responded. “How about we go up? I have a room prepared for us.”

“Wh—what? A room?” Khun blinked rapidly. This wasn’t exactly what he had in mind when he decided to hang out with his three stupid friends (that sadly were his best friends).

“Yes, let’s go.”

*****

“Wait… could this be…”

Nichkhun’s eyes widened dramatically as soon as he stepped into the room. It was a spacious room with dim, warm light and a king-sized bed covered by unmistakably smooth, silky sheet. Taecyeon put Nichkhun’s paper bags in the dresser and he helped Khun to put the roses in the vase.

“A honeymoon suite, yes,” Taec answered without hearing the full question. Khun was panicking inside.

“ _Shiiiiiiiiit…! I haven’t prepared anything since I didn’t expect any of this! I can’t let shitty things ruin the birthday sex—fuck! What to do?!_ ”

Taec pulled Nichkhun into his embrace, noticing how tall the latter now. He ran his hands up and down Khun’s back, beckoning. He leaned down and gently kissed his beloved. Khun felt his heart stop. He was filled with happiness and desire that might make him burst. He responded to the kiss eagerly, hugging the man’s shoulders tightly, towing him down. Taec released the plump lips and slid away to Khun’s cheek and jaw. He pulled Khun even closer as he was kissing the neck. Khun tilted his head back, giving him more access. He was ready—no, wait, he wasn’t! Abruptly, he pulled himself together.

“I—I— _Hyung…_ please, hear me out?” he stuttered as pleasure began to overtake his mind. Thankfully, Taec was a gentleman tonight. He slithered his strong nose all the way from Khun’s neck to nose, and pecked Khun’s lips.

“Hm?” Taec hummed.

“I—I want to take a shower first,” said Khun shyly. Taec warmly beamed.

“Sure, take your time. I’ll be waiting,” he said without hesitation. Khun was thankful that he had such understanding lover—although he still blushed every time he called Taecyeon his lover. The man let Khun go and went to bed. He sat down with his jacket’s buttons liberated to exhibit his pristine white shirt beneath.

Nichkhun hurried into the bathroom—which had a nice bathtub that he thought would be a real waste not to use it but hell if he cared right now because he had been waiting to be fucked again by Ok fucking Taecyeon for almost three years and this was the perfect night to do it and all he cared about was preparing himself properly so nothing unexpected would ruin this perfect momentum. Yes, he was rambling to himself as he showered. He put in fingers inside his hole—checking. _Damn it_ , he had to clean it fast!

He, of course, didn’t realize that it took him longer than thirty minutes to thoroughly prepare himself. As he emerged from the bathroom, naked save for the bathrobe he purposely wore, he expected Taec to automatically call him, at least, if he didn’t feel like doing Beast-Ok right now (although Khun was very excited to see how a Beast-Ok look and feel like in bed). Certainly, he didn’t expect to see Ok Taecyeon fast asleep on the bed, still in his suit minus the jacket. Nichkhun suddenly felt he was a bad person.

He approached the man, legs hanging down to the floor. He had bags under his eyes. Nichkhun should have known. The man was exhausted and he was forcing it just because it was Khun’s birthday. Khun sighed, trying to contain his disappointment. He bent down to take off Taec’s shoes and socks. He stripped the man to his underwear, so that the man could sleep comfortably. Nichkhun put amazing effort in settling the man’s big body on the bed and covering him with blanket. He put on clean underwear he found in the dresser, probably arranged beforehand by Taec as well to accommodate the surprise. He, then, went to sleep next to Taecyeon, hoping that Taec wouldn’t leave him again in the morning.

*****

Ok Taecyeon woke up with a start. He took a deep breath and scrunched his face, frowning hard as he rolled to his back. He stretched his arms and body, only to realize that he wasn’t alone in bed. With sleepy eyes and a deep frown, he turned to his left. He wanted to kill himself as soon as he recognized the stunning beauty that curled to his side. He covered his face with his hand, unable to comprehend how foolish he had been. He pulled the gorgeous creature into his embrace and planted a kiss on the top of the head.

“I’m so sorry, Khun,” he huskily said. His voice was perfect evidence that he had been pushing himself too hard before he fell asleep.

“ _Hyung_ , what are you doing first thing in the morning?” one sleepy Khun reacted from being embraced and kissed. He snuggled deeper into the embrace, basking in warmth radiated by Taecyeon’s body.

“I’m apologizing because I have ruined everything,” whispered Taec.

“No—you shouldn’t,” Khun said, “You are exhausted, _Hyung_. I hate it when I have to be the reason you are exhausted. I feel better because you fell asleep.”

“You’re too kind,” Taecyeon said, kissing Khun’s earlobe. “Hey, let’s do it now.”

“What?” Khun asked, looking up.

“Let’s do it now—I’m all better since I slept and you have been all prepared before you went to bed. Let’s do it now,” explained Taec with cheesy eyebrows move. Khun’s cheeks tinted pink at the revelation of his preparation even though it wasn’t supposed to be that embarrassing.

“Okay…”

“What do you want to do?”

“I…”—Khun, who was now wide awake, slowly sat up—“I want to suck your dick.” Taecyeon stared at him fixatedly for a few seconds, seemingly surprised, but he smiled and automatically lied on his back.

“Sure, you can do whatever you want.”

Nichkhun lifted the cover, revealing Taecyeon’s perfectly sculpted body in tight boxer and fitting tank-top. How he felt the itch to bare it all—but he would take his time. He wanted Taec to rip it off himself, it was sexier. So, Nichkhun positioned himself between Taec’s strong thighs and began to stroke through the fabric. It was already big and half-hard when he was starting. Surely, morning wood always visited a man for no reason at all. Khun pressed his face on the hard-on, inhaling the scent. He kissed the sacs and licked the rod all the way up while maintaining eye contact with Taecyeon, who had _that_ fierce look on his face. Khun pulled the boxer down, greeted instantly with one angry penis. Well, Khun’s own dick stirred and grew bigger just from seeing this Mr. Anger-Management (what a name). Khun held it in his hand. It was unsurprisingly throbbing as he pumped it. He wondered how it would taste—he always did—so he slowly put the head inside his mouth. He carefully flexed his jaw, minding the teeth so that they would not scrape the skin. He heard Taecyeon hiss and soon, he felt a coarse hand land on his head. He looked up. Taecyeon was hissing and groaning from pleasure. He showed his gratitude by caressing Khun’s hair.

“Careful not to choke, Princess, I don’t want to see you hurt,” said Taecyeon. Khun should have told him not to call him that during foreplay so Nichkhun could last longer—maybe later. That term of endearment really got Khun going.

Khun realized, by the time he reached the bottom of Taec’s dick, that swallowing was truly a challenge. He pulled his head up, slurping loudly, and proceeded to push down. He continued the movements, up and down, up and down, along with his hand from time to time. It was like tasting a bitter meat-lollipop. He kept it up, unknowingly until it throbbed and shot a load of milky white substance into his unsuspecting mouth.

“ _Shit_ , don’t swallow it, Khun!” Taec said despite he had just gone through a splendid orgasm. Khun looked at him with his big, cute eyes. His lips were still around the head and he suddenly gulped, loudly. Taec, who supposedly limped after coming, had blood pumped back to his magic stick.

“It tastes weird,” said Khun innocently, licking his fingers after he let go off the meat-rod with a popping sound.

“You shouldn’t have swallowed it, silly Princess,” Taec commented. He sat down, welcoming Khun into his arms. Khun bit his lower lip, blushing beautifully as he averted his eyes. He wanted to escape momentarily.

“I’ve always wanted to do that,” he confessed. “I’ll wash my mouth.”

Khun slipped from Taec’s arms and the man didn’t prevent him. Khun was embarrassed, but he couldn’t help but feeling hot from doing that. He took a bottle of cold coffee he found in the fridge and drank it fast. He turned around slowly, finding Taec was now approaching him in his birthday suit. The dragon on his chest was somehow judging Khun with his beady eyes.

“Come to me, pretty baby,” Taec called, gesturing with his hand. Khun just couldn’t. The coffee bottle slipped off his hand. The next thing he knew was: he was kissing Ok Taecyeon, sloppily, heatedly—ridden by pure desire. He was manhandled easily back to bed despite grown taller and a bit bulkier than before.

Taec showered him with wet kisses. He bit Khun’s ear, pulling it gently. He kissed the creamy neck and stopped to mark the flawless shoulder. Khun wished his hair was a little bit longer so Taec could pull at it—he enjoyed a little pain such as that. He cut it really short this time, but he hadn’t heard any word of protest from his lover. Khun bit his fist, unable to stop himself from making noises, especially when Taec reached the chest. Taec leered up at him, mischief was clearly showing, before he licked the nipple. He loved to tease Khun, however possible. The electric shock spread all over his body again—he moaned loudly. Taec proceeded to peel off Khun’s boxer. Good thing that Khun never wore top to bed in summer.

“You’ve come,” noted Taec as string of white liquid appeared on the boxer.

“Your fault,” accused Khun breathily.

“I see,” Taec, unabashedly, concurred. He tore a pack of condom and put it on himself. He dipped his fingers in the scented bottle of lube he had readied by the bed. It smelled like vanilla. He entered Khun’s hole with ease.

“Please, please, just put it in,” cajoled Khun as Taec dwelled a second too long with his prepping routine. Taec grinned as he moved the fingers inside like scissors. He pulled them out and invited Khun to sit up.

“You put it in yourself,” Taec whispered huskily to Khun’s red ear. Khun gasped.

“What?”

“You can do it, Princess, since you are strong,” Taec said, but his voice told Khun nothing but teasing. Khun felt slightly insulted—it felt like a challenge—so he harshly pushed Taec back down to the bed. He climbed on the man and held the dick.

“Sure I can do it, you stupid old man,” Khun murmured hotly. His hole puckered in anticipation. He couldn’t see it from whence he bowed above Taecyeon, but he could feel the hot head touch his rosebud. Now all he needed to do was pushing it in.

“A—aaah!” Nichkhun gasped. Tears started to form. It was harder than it looked. His knees grew weak as soon as it was inside. It hurt. The device was huge and he underestimated it. He bit his lip throughout the process. Once he managed to sheath it wholly, he leaned forward, asking for a kiss.

“Good job so far, my beautiful princess,” Taec said, running his fingers through Khun’s short hair. He led the lewd beauty come and kiss him fervently. Khun, while enjoying the sweet kisses, unconsciously began to rock his hips. _It_ was hard and hot, burning him inside. Khun’s breath shortened, it came in _staccato_.

“Sit up,” commanded Taec, his hands rested on Khun’s waist.

The young adult complied with a struggle. It reached so deep now that he straightened up his back. He cried as he moaned restlessly. It hit—it finally hit _it_. Khun tried to cover his mouth with his hands, but the sensation weakened him so that he could not do it straight and direly need to hold on Taec’s sturdy pectoral muscles.

“Help me—help me,” he begged breathlessly. He was crying, eyes big and inviting. His red cheeks and bruised lips; his purple mark on the collarbone; his shaking legs; everything told Taec that he was enjoying this too much. Taec ran a hand over Khun’s old scar and Khun shivered.

“What do you need my help for, Your Highness?” he teased despite his obvious monstrous tone that threatened to come out anytime now.

“Please—please, I can’t go on. I’m too weak—ah! Ah! Ah! Please, Taec… help—help me… thrust into… me,” Khun pleaded between his moans. He felt that he could no longer push himself up. His legs were giving away. Too much pleasure deteriorated his ability to function. Ruthless Taec had not yet decided to coincide.

“You are not weak, go on for a bit more,” said Taec. Albeit gently spoken, it was madly cruel, but still it pulled Khun’s heartstrings like no other.

“No—no—please… I can’t… I can’t…” Khun beseeched, tears rolling down his rosy cheeks and hands rubbing Taec’s tattooed and bare front passionately. “Please… please… I beg you… _oppa_.”

Then, it clicked inside Taec’s mind. The button just went off. He knew it himself in his history with female lovers before that it definitely was a real turn-on to hear them referring him so. He never knew that the impact was doubled, hell, tripled when it was Khun who said it.

“Come here,” Taec said gruffly. He pulled Khun into his chest as he sat up. Khun hugged him, clinging to him for his dear life. Even after sleeping for hours, Taec’s fragrance cologne remained on his skin, penetrating Khun’s nostrils just like his power device. Taec thrust upward, earning a loud moan from his snow white lover in his arms. The receiver still moved his hips, accommodating efficiency for both of them. They met midway and every single time, a sensual moan slipped out of Khun’s delicious lips.

“ _O—oppa…! Oppa!_ ” Khun repeated it erotically.

Taec groaned in frustration. He quickened his pace, rocking the bed like earthquake. Khun was crying in ecstasy. He was losing strength gradually. His head lolled away from Taec. His arms loosened and he bent backward, swaying along with the amazingly fast rhythm his lover had set up. He lost his sanity— _damn it Ok Taecyeon_. Taec let him go and so he fell on the edge of the bed. His head and shoulders dangled at the edge of the bed. Khun must hold to the bed to prevent him from falling down—he could not help but keep following the rhythm that eventually made his torso out of bed. Taec lifted Khun’s lower body, pumping downward vigorously.

“Hang on tight, my love, it won’t be long,” grunted Taec.

“I—I’m close!” whimpered Khun, who could hardly see Taec with his head heading south. He tightened his grip on the bed as Taec pounded into him mercilessly, increasing speed without a care. Khun’s tears fogged his vision. It was coming and his breath hitched. The shock spread rapidly up to his head and the tips of his toes, which curled in response. The milky white substance dripped on his stomach, flowing south to Khun’s dangling torso. Taec came inside, safely into the rubber. He took a deep breath and automatically scooped Khun into his embrace. Khun felt like a malleable polymer, melted on Taec’s hot body. They fell on the bed together, hugging and trying to even their breaths.

“I can’t be more satisfied with my return now,” Taec said after a momentous silence. He had pulled out and got rid of the used condom. He also wiped Khun’s cum as always in the process. Now they were just lying down motionlessly until Khun snuggled closer to him.

“Do you like being called ‘ _oppa_ ’ that much?” Khun asked while trying to hide his radiant smile—he was totally satiated, no question. Taec snorted.

“Only in bed,” he shamelessly admitted.

“Well, that settled the _code_ ,” Khun said shyly.

“Yeah,” Taec agreed, kissing Khun’s temple, “I was hoping to make use of your toys, but I guess it can wait.”

“You’re going to cuff me?” The way Khun asked it was definitely _asking for it_ —Taecyeon smirked and answered:

“Why not?”

“Pervert,” said Khun.

“ _Your_ pervert,” corrected Taec.

They stayed like that for another minute. Then, Khun proposed an excellent idea for a change: “Let’s clean up, _Hyung_.”

“Good idea.”

*****

They bathed together and soaked their bodies in warm, scented water inside the bathtub. Nichkhun was having trouble keeping his face straight and Taecyeon would not let him, at all, to fall sullen once more. He was motivated to keep the bright red color Khun loved so much on Khun’s face today. Khun, then, wore a white shirt that obviously was prepared for Taecyeon, but the rightful owner didn’t mind at all. He did not wear anything but that and his underwear ( _the boyfriend shirt attack!!!_ ). Taecyeon was about to put on a shirt when Khun ran and prevented him.

“What is it?” Taec asked, curious.

“I—I want to see your back,” Khun stuttered while blushed.

“Oh, you haven’t seen it? Here, look at it as much as you want,” Taec said understandingly, turning around to show Khun his body canvas that bore dark ink deep inside its layers. There were flowers and clouds, and the rest of the dragon’s body, except for its tail. It went further below the belt. Khun roamed his hands over the sturdy back and proceeded to rest them on Taec’s chest in the end as he hugged him from behind.

“How is it?” Taec questioned.

“It’s perfect.”

“Come and sit, we’re going to have breakfast,” said Taec, swiveling and taking Khun to the comfy couch. They sat there; Khun between Taec’s legs, leaning on his chest; and they tried to decide what was for breakfast.

After placing order, Khun went to grab the presents he got from Rina and Junior. He returned to his initial position as he opened the packaging. He opened Junior’s first. Inside the box there were a cool snapback and cool sunglasses. The kid knew he liked these. He immediately tried them on and asked for Taec’s opinion.

“What do you think? Good on me, right?”

“Yeah, certainly. Although, you look good with anything—or nothing,” responded Taec with a pervert smile. Khun elbowed him, but Taecyeon was too strong. He humored Nichkhun by making a sound effect, but that was as much as Khun’s attack could damage him. He opened the present Rina gave him, but he could not even get it out of the box.

“What, what is it, Khunnie?” Taec asked, unbelievably nosy.

“It’s nothing—it’s really embarrassing!” Khun shrieked. Taec reached around to snatch it away from Khun, but the young man swatted his arms. The attempt continued for a while until Khun understood that this man was stubborn beyond help. He lifted the _present_ so Taec could see it from behind him. It was unmistakably a _peignoir_ , a see-through one.

“Gou’s always had a bit kinky idea about our relationship ever since I told her about the toys you keep,” Taec commented neutrally (but in his mind, he ran images of Khun wearing the transparent clothes as he lied on bed— _pervert_ ).

“No way! You didn’t tell your ex-wife of my toys!” protested Khun.

“I tell her everything ever since we were kids, so… I’m sorry?”

“I—…”

“Hey, boys,” an unexpected voice greeted them. Khun jolted and tried to hide his sexy slender legs from view, but Taec kept him still. Rina was standing before them with their breakfast trolley. They didn’t know how or when Rina sneaked into the room, but there she was. Nichkhun was prepared to curl into a ball, but Taec was normally annoyed, judging from what he protested about next.

“Gou, even though this is your hotel, you can’t just bust in,” Taec said.

“Well, yes, I can. Your son’s mother is here to remind you that we will be leaving for our family holiday in a week. You tend to be forgetful about things like this when you are with your princess,” Rina explained ruthlessly. Khun reddened epically. He was gruesomely embarrassed by the fact that his nickname was just used by Rina so casually.

“Of course—how could I forget?”

“You’re going to vacation?”

Khun couldn’t hide his crestfallen mood. Taec and Rina shared a look. Rina threw a judgmental look at her ex-husband. She asked:

“You didn’t tell him?”

“I was about to! But then I got distracted.”

“Yeah, sure you are. The whole hotel might have heard the Ice Prince’s continuous moans until an hour ago. It was a torture for lonely souls!”

Now Nichkhun had every reason to hide forever. Taec enveloped him with his long, big limbs. He laughed, though, unabashedly.

“Hey, Khun, it is true that we’re going to vacation, but ‘we’ is not limitedly composed of Gou, Junior, and me. You’re coming with us. Your silly best friends are coming too. Don’t worry.”

“Where?”

“Bahamas, of course,” Rina answered.

“Bahamas?”

“Is that even a question?” The exes asked in ensemble. Well, Khunnie didn’t know what they were thinking when they planned this, but he was glad he was part of it. It seemed that his birthday wasn’t going to end.

“Enjoy your… breakfast,” Rina said as she was leaving. There was this smirk that she showed that made Khun scared. He wondered what she had put inside the innocent-looking silvery plate covers.

“Khun,” Taec distracted him from his train of thoughts, transporting Khun from sitting between his legs to on his legs. Khun was alarmed. “What do you want for your birthday? I didn’t get you anything because I just couldn’t find anything that suited you.” Oh.

“You don’t have to get me anything this year, _Hyung_. Your presence here is more than enough right now,” said Khun, kissing the man on the cheek shyly.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.”

“If you say so, then, let’s breakfast together now.”

Only they and God (and I) knew what Gouzen Gou had set up for them that morning. The one that forced them to stay inside the room until the next dawn. Surely, one could easily avoid knowing by covering their ears all day and night. Khun hardly could walk when they checked out—you could only guess. _Ha!_ Indeed, staying with the trapper was not wise. Surely, Nichkhun Horvejkul did not have to know that there had been three hit-men destroyed during their stay in the room. Well, even though he knew, he just had to shrug it off. It was now a normal routine in his life.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much for all readers who have been visiting and leaving kudos and comments. I truly appreciate them. There is nothing that makes me happier than a comment from my beloved ~~subjects~~ readers. I'm sorry for the ending. I know, there's nothing much left about gangster in the end (lol) I initially wrote this for myself, that I am glad people actually enjoyed it--well, I hope you did. There will be epilogue later, just a bit. It will be more of a humour than an actual chapter, but all in all, this is the end. So long, my friends.
> 
>  
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Your corrupt, pervert, psychotic author
> 
>  
> 
> Lumienarc Hanayuki


	18. Through the Arch of New Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The fated day, the happiest day of Khun's life finally arrives. Just what can go wrong?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an extra chapter posted originally only on AFF. There is another extra chapter, which fills the time skip between the 18th chapter to this, but I will not post it (you shouldn't have mentioned it, then). I hope you enjoy this stupid/smutty/fluffy/dramatic/angsty chapter.

In the massive backyard of Ok Manor, uncountable men in suit gathered there. A white arch embellished by beautiful flowers. At the front row, Kim Minjun was trying to wipe away his tears. Jang Wooyoung was tapping his foot rapidly, every now and then staring back over his shoulders, to the empty aisle behind them all. There was still no one walking toward them. Hwang Chansung put a hand on Wooyoung’s knee to calm the smaller man down, with seemingly no effect because, for some reason, Chansung didn’t really put any effort to it. The curious Lee Junho was absorbed into his phone, obsessively posting on his SNS about how long this was going to take and how curious he was of the bridegroom’s appearance. Gouzen Gou was sitting next to Ok Jihyen, her husband and son, and the Ok’s parents.

Ok Taecyeon entered the site, Park Jaebeom on his side. The men whistled and howled at him, totally unruly and no one stopped them, even the elder people. They stood, waiting for the officiant to take his place. In the beginning, there was talk of using Korean traditional wedding, but Taecyeon vehemently opposed it because it would require one of them to play bride. Nichkhun was surprised that Taecyeon wanted to give him a liberty to choose. Western wedding offered Khun the opportunity to choose either wedding dress or suit. It did not matter—it was Boston anyway.

In traditional wedding, the sides should have been decided, divided according to which one of the two the guest had come for. Nichkhun had very little amount of guests. He didn’t even invite his parents, only his sisters (he insisted on this even though Taecyeon had tried to coax him into tolerating his parents for his own first and last wedding). The troublemakers made up for the family row. Taecyeon instructed the rest of his men to take sides and asked them to choose equally—or they could go and wait outside like lost puppies. Chaos happened, but in the end, all was well.

“I haven’t seen him in two weeks,” murmured Taec, obviously giddy.

“You’ll see him soon, _Hyungnim_ , be patient,” said Jay, obviously holding back a giggle. The minister was leering at them questioningly, but hell if they cared. Then, the orchestra started the music.

Unlike normal people who would play either Rodziński’s Wedding March or Wagner’s Bridal Chorus for this occasion (classic, really), the Ok Family chose Grieg’s style of welcoming the bride. It was totally giving out a feeling of outdoor wedding at plains of Alps or indoor wedding at the King’s castle. Little girls in pretty dresses, wearing flower wreath on their heads and bringing a basket of flower petals, came dancing on their toes. The bride would come along with bridemaids that danced beautifully into the hall. Well, this actually could be very exciting to watch. Somehow, some of sort did happen with the flower girls Jihyen and Gou stationed.

Lee Junho was itching to step on Chansung to record the girls, but he was pulled back down by Minjun every single time he wanted to do it. There behind the flower girls was Ok Taekhwan, the ring bearer. He was so much more handsome now and he actually was too old for the part, but he insisted that he might cause casualties if he didn’t get to be the ring bearer for his father and Angel- _hyung_ ’s wedding.

Nichkhun’s little sisters entered with bright smile on their faces. They were not less beautiful. After all, thanks to genetics, they were able to be deliciously good looking without doing anything. The music mellowed for a moment and rose again as the sisters parted to stand on different sides, only to reveal a supreme Thai beauty in pristine white frock coat to substitute dress and to distinguish his role. The coat was unlike traditional frock coat; it was made of the same fabric as Taec’s tailcoat. It made the skirt flow with the wind. Nichkhun’s hair was quite long now. It was curled and styled so finely to support what it looked like an elven crown (are you Elros’s great-great-great-great grandson, Khun? Or perhaps, Elrond’s? Or both?). Today he was truly The Prince (not Machiavelli’s, though).

Taecyeon could not even suppress his expression. How could he describe the feeling? He was happy, excited, jealous, possessive, proud, nervous, impatient, serene… just how could he describe it? His cheekbones were up high on his face, which was brilliantly radiating joy. He fixated his eyes on his bridegroom, the handsome and beautiful creature he was about to spend the rest of his life with. He could not help but to offer his hand earlier than he should. Nichkhun’s cute eyes sparkled brightly although he was surprised. He accepted the hand readily. This man, too, could not hold back the wide smile that blossomed like snowdrops. Of course, naturally, they all forgot that Nichan walked Nichkhun down the aisle.

“Can we begin?” The minister asked, awkwardly.

“Why can’t we?” Taecyeon asked back, albeit his eyes were still fixed on Nichkhun and so did the other. The minister rolled his eyes and shook his head as subtly as possible. He opened the script book and cleared his throat.

“Today is a celebration: A celebration of love, of commitment, of friendship, of family, and of two people who are in it for forever. You don’t have to have a ceremony to have a marriage, and when you think about it, the whole thing is kind of weird, right? Now that the groom here—one of them—is actually experiencing this for the second time, why do we do this? It is tiring, the preparation is long and frustrating—not to mention costly, but I believe it is hardly a predicament for this case, I am sorry—and in the end, you will do whatever everyone else does. Exchanging vows, rings, and then kissing in front audience, while all the people and I know well you prefer to kiss behind a locked door.”

Taecyeon laughed, Nichkhun glared at the officiant (his face was bright red). Gou and Jihyen snorted, ladylike. Junior blinked ignorantly, imitating Jang Wooyoung. Chansung made a face and Minjun pinched Junho’s thigh to prevent him from gagging comically. Jay rolled his eyes. The minister, who was originally a Frenchman generally addressed as Monsieur LeDuc, continued with a grandeur the ceremony deserved.

“Why? Because somehow we need to lock it. A love story, kept open without anything to secure it, will often end tragically. Of course, sometimes within the chest itself, the lock is forced open, but we are all just humans who crave for certainty, as brief as it might be. This moment is an example of ways we mortals prefer to carve our story on sturdy stone.

“All of us here today have our own love stories. Some are short, others long. Some are yet unwritten, while others are just getting to the good part. Why, of course, some are hollow and unbecomingly devastating—full of loneliness and desperation and longing—but worry not, each of us will always have a beautiful story in the end, either way the twist turns out to be.”

“Monsieur LeDuc is the best officiant in the whole earth,” Wooyoung whispered to Chansung. The boys were slowly dying because of the need to laugh.

“These two standing before you, dearly beloveds, are brought by fate, tied tightly. Age does not matter for love—even though obviously sensible humans will not touch an underage no matter how much they love the other.”—Taecyeon coughed and Nichkhun wanted to shrink into the floor, Minjun and Jay looked at each other and snickered—“These two’s love story is twisted and unlike other sappy romantic stories that even my twin brother loves to read and watch. Their story is composed of storm, distant parents, dance, homemade meals, bullets, someone’s brother’s bruises, sutures on the thigh, annoying best friends, snips, princess, beautiful son, helpful sisters, heroine ex, and roses. You can’t find these in your lives because obviously their lives aren’t yours—if so, you would be the one standing here, not them. And all of those mentioned things bring them here.

“I am here (because you ordained, of course, but let’s pretend that I care about you wholeheartedly)—we are all here—because we want those moments for you (without some of us, you’d actually fail to survive anyway). We are here to hope with you, to support you, to be proud of you, and to remind you that love is not happily ever after (Lady Rina requested to be mentioned here), love is the experience of writing your story. It’s not one moment—not even this moment. It’s every moment. Big, embarrassing ones that Nichkhun could hardly stand and he could die from excessive blushing, like when Taecyeon says words of love, asks him to move in together, or gives him the options to be a groom or bride in this occasion,”—Nichkhun tried hard not to fall from holding back laughter because the audience had laughed, hard—“or ones like the one that takes all courage in Nichkhun to actually ask Taecyeon about having another child.” Now Nichkhun was rivaling the red light at the crossroad.

“Surely, there is no man able to perfectly understand love, how it works and what it means. Even being immortal cannot help much. What we can understand is that love exists. We feel it although we cannot simply describe it. Words that differ from one person to another enrich and deepen our view of love, so today, we will hear of our main casts.”

Taecyeon took Nichkhun’s hands, freeing them first from the bouquet he held, and then he spoke clearly, but gently, to his bridegroom:

“It is funny that we actually met by chance far before we thought we did. I am glad I had become your teenage obsession. I remember the first time I saw you with your exceptionally unique brother, deserted and left to survive on your own. Through your flawed character and rebellious phase, you have carved yourself into a supreme, admirable being that I am proud to have by my side. I still don’t know much, but I know I love you. I love you, Nichkhun.”

Nichkhun was about to cry, but he had to say his part, so with strained voice, he replied: “I have caused countless troubles for everyone I know, although some troubles caused by a certain someone else triggered the rebel in me to retaliate. I just can’t thank you enough for fulfilling my teenager’s dream. I wish you will stop talk like that to me because I know you just want to see me blush and you think I am most beautiful when I blush. I love you for that, but also I resent you for that. Therefore, generally I love you, Ok Taecyeon. Ok-Fool. Ok-Beast. Ok-Boss. Ok-Whatever-he-might-look-like.”

“Now that we finished the comedy corner,” Monsieur LeDuc intruded elegantly, which caused them to laugh again, “we can start with your vows, promises to each other that you intend to keep. I will ask you a question and you will reply with confidence in you like Maria when she was going to be the Family Von Trapp’s governess.”

“Help… help… Chansungie is going to die from laughter!” cried Wooyoung and Junho together. Minjun slapped the back of their heads.

“Will you, Ok Taecyeon, keep Nichkhun Horvejkul as your favorite person—to laugh with him, go on adventures with him, support him through life’s tough moments, be proud of him, grow old with him, find new reasons to love him more every day, and pretty much keep his soul intact?”

Taecyeon, holding laughter, tried his best to solemnly answered, “I will.” He slipped the ring into Nichkhun’s finger.

Monsieur LeDuc nodded and turned to Nichkhun. When he was about to repeat the question, a bang interrupted him. He tilted his head and the grooms stepped back. A bullet had just flown through, hitting the wall behind them all. The grooms slowly turned their heads. At the back row, a man stood with a gun cocked, aimed at Taecyeon. This wasn’t funny anymore. They knew immediately that it was a member of Chinese mafia group that had been trying to take over the area. Before the bullet was fired from him, however, another gun was fired. The man’s arm bleed and he dropped the gun. Chaos ensued.

“Don’t move,” Chansung warned the man sitting behind him. Chansung had a gun in hand aimed at the man’s stomach. There were quite a number of intruders among the guests. Jay had his gun aimed the man standing at far end. Minjun and Junho somehow had changed seats and now directed their weapons to the intruders’ temples. Wooyoung put a hand around one intruder’s shoulders casually. Everyone was highly alerted now, but Taecyeon’s focus remained on one person.

Taecyeon’s family and ex-wife seemed to be cool about the incident and actually were quite apathetic toward the whole fuss. They also kept their eyes on the grooms. Even Junior (he looked so proud, though). Nichkhun had fired the gun. He looked pissed as fuck. He let go off a palm-sized gun in his hand, quickly returning to its former hiding place in Nichkhun’s sleeve.

“You are not going to ruin my wedding, living trash,” said Khun darkly. He, then, turned back to Taecyeon, who seemed to be mystified. “Wh—why are you looking at me like that, _Hyung_?” he stammered. His cheeks tinted pink.

“Can’t we skip to the night activity right now?” Taecyeon said, his eyes screamed danger. It was unmistakably the bedroom eyes.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Nichkhun yelled; embarrassed by the fact he had just made his soon-to-be-husband aroused in the middle of their wedding ceremony. “We planned this for three months, there is no way I’ll let you do that!” Taecyeon looked away and clicked his tongue. “Don’t give me that!” Nichkhun shouted again, scarlet from head to toe now. He did not think when he reacted earlier and now he just hoped that he wouldn’t follow Taec’s lead—the predatory stare was always a turn-on. Monsieur LeDuc waited for a full minute until he asked:

“Can we proceed?”

“Of course!” the grooms replied readily.

Charismatically and calmly, the minister asked, “Will you, Nichkhun Horvejkul, keep Ok Taecyeon as your favorite person—to laugh with him, go on adventures with him, support him through life’s tough moments, be proud of him, grow old with him, find new reasons to love him more every day, and pretty much keep his soul intact?”

“I will,” Nichkhun replied confidently, slipping the ring into Taecyeon’s ring finger.

“Will you, Taecyeon and Nichkhun, be each other’s partners from this day forward? Will you bring out the best in one another, share your happiest moments together, and love each other absolutely—for the rest of this lifetime and for whatever may come next?”

“We will,” the grooms answered harmoniously.

“You’ve both chosen to wear rings as a reminder of these promises. People often say wedding bands are a perfect circle, with no beginning and no end, but how ridiculous oft it was said. Everything has a beginning and so everything as an end (except God for believers there). A ring was made with lengthy, thorough, detailed, painstaking process, that only with skill, experience, and passion that it may be formed so extraordinarily valuable. May you remember this every time you see the rings. Now, I proudly announce you husband and angel of a husband, courtesy of Ok Taec Jr.”—He winked to the kid, who gave him a pair of thumbs up—“You may kiss the angel.”

Taecyeon didn’t need to be told twice. He leaned down and captured the lips as gently as possible. Nichkhun enjoyed the tender touch before he reached up and forced the husband to kiss him properly. Taecyeon chuckled to the kiss, but he gave what his angel of a husband wanted anyway.

*****

Nichkhun danced with his mother-in-law to Mozart’s Marriage to Figaro. The mother was a splendid dancer—she was leading Nichkhun actually. Taecyeon danced with Yanin, Nichkhun’s sister. The boys were having so much fun dancing like proper gentlemen, well, that was until the songs changed. There were various songs played, including EDM songs that turned the place wild. Jay and his crew actually prepared choreography for one mixed song they played there. The two final songs, however, was reserved for the happy couple. Courtesy of Gouzen Gou, the epitome of anomaly, the DJ was obliged to play Queen’s I Was Born To Love You first.

“ _Neesama_ surely has amazing taste,” Khun said as he was turned swiftly on his toes by Taecyeon.

“That’s why I can’t get rid of her—I don’t want to,” said Taec, pulling Khun back to him. Taec began to sing along with Freddie every time “I was born to love you with every single beat of my heart. Yes, I was born to take care of you every single day” came up. Nichkhun could only laugh with pink cheeks, shy. It was cringe-worthy, but it was moving, too. It was as if the lyrics were made for Taecyeon. He loved it so much despite not knowing the song before. Thanks again, Gou.

The song reserved to represent Nichkhun was David Foster’s This Must Be Love. Nichkhun laughed in embarrassment as soon as the intro was played. Taecyeon started to sing along again, but this time, Khun shut him up by putting his mouth for better use. Taec swayed them together as they kissed deeply on the dance floor, dancing to Foster’s voice singing:

“Since we met I’ve had some problems with words I couldn’t say. Now you’ve changed my life forever. This must be love; the one I heard about. No other kind of feeling turns me inside out. Yes, this must be love, controlling my heart and mind. Let’s take a vow to make it last ‘til the end of time.”

After partying hard, Taec dragged Khun out to the garage. In a fancy Rolls-Royce Phantom that looked very 007 for amateur eyes, Khun was kidnapped from the manor. They arrived at Gou’s hotel again. They only stopped at the front desk to grab the key and be told that “everything has been prepared exactly as requested”. Taec nodded curtly and pulled Khun by the waist toward the elevator. They were at the top floor, in the best room—well, suite. Taec led one baffled Khun into it.

“We will spend the night here then we will leave in the afternoon.”

“Where to?” asked Khun. He had not heard any of these.

“Honeymoon, of course, in Venice,” Taec replied with a bright smile.

“You didn’t tell me any of these,” Khun said, sulking. Taecyeon, the devil, chuckled and stopped walking just before they reached the bed.

He looked into Khun’s eyes, caressing the porcelain cheek with his knuckles. He removed the crown from Khun’s head and put it down at nearby desk. He invited his husband to meet his lips halfway and they kissed softly. Taec retracted first, but not too far. He stared at Nichkhun lovingly, admiring closely with warm eyes. Nichkhun was lost in those dark orbs, in the atmosphere produced by that simple kiss. He reached up, putting his right hand on Taecyeon’s manly jaw and mouse ear. He really loved these manly features that his now husband owned.

“How could you be so handsome?” Taecyeon asked. Khun blushed, but he endured and returned the question.

“How could _you_ be so handsome?”

“Well, how do I say this? It is just… genetics,” replied Taec as he laughed. He turned his head, kissing the palm. Khun shuddered at the gentle touch.

“Let’s clean up first,” suggested Khun sensibly. Taec nodded as he let go of Khun’s hand and went to kiss Khun fully on the lips.

“We have two bathrooms here, so it is efficient,” said Taec. “I’ll take the smaller one.”

*****

It was easy to deal on something so trivial yet important. Nichkhun didn’t know why he kept listening to his sister-in-law and supposedly not-sister-in-law, but he regarded her as one anyway, because there was nothing good caused by their suggestions. Well, not really, just it made him do risky things that left him totally done the next day. It was both good and bad thing. Khun wore his bathrobe when he stepped out of the bathroom, only to find his new husband only wore a towel around his waist.

“Why are you surprised?” Taec asked with lopsided smile once he realized Khun had been in the bedroom.

“I—I just realized,” Khun stammered, blushing lightly, “that this was what I expected to see back then when you were living in my apartment.”

“You were expecting it?” Taec asked teasingly as he advanced toward Khun.

“Can you even blame me?” asked Khun back, averting eyes as his face grew hotter and redder. His husband now stood in front of him, presenting moist bare torso for him to touch and lick and whatever he wanted to do. He heard the older man chuckle deeply.

“I did consider doing that, but, in the end, I decided it would be a frontal move. I didn’t want to scare my cute pup,” confessed Taec. “I considered that I have to be delicate.”

“You have no idea how hard it was to hold back,” protested Khun.

“Oh, I know,” said Taec mischievously. “I know you jerked off that morning when I barged into the bathroom because you fell.”

“Ah, _Hyung_! It was embarrassing!” whined Khun, as red as lobster now.

“That’s why I kept it to myself until now.” Taec grinned.

“Ah, Ok Taecyeon!”

“Sssh.”

He cupped Khun’s face with his big, _yaoi_ hand, and tipped it upward. He slowly leaned down and kissed the luscious lips. The kiss was slow and delicate, but passionate. They parted their lips simultaneously, tilting their heads in perfect rhythm as if they danced. Khun opened his mouth wider and Taec put in his tongue. The boneless soldiers met inside the interlocked caverns, dancing around each other, tasting and exploring, exchanging liquid. Taec pulled Khun closer, reaching for the cute butt behind. Khun gasped, begging wordlessly for chance to breathe freely. Taec released his lips, but he trailed away to Khun’s cheek and jaw, down to the neck.

“How I love your skin, Khun,” murmured Taec, kissing the limited exposed chest skin.

“I—I love yours, too…” breathily Khun responded. His hands wandered on Taec’s tattooed back.

“Yours is smooth and creamy—I feel like I can drink it up,” said Taec, licking Khun’s neck hungrily. Khun moaned and leaned back. He didn’t know how he could withstand this position, but who cared, really. Taec got impatient very quickly. He ripped the bathrobe savagely instead of pulling the ties like a normal person. He, then, stopped and stared.

“Do—don’t stare at me like that,” Khun said with bright red cheeks. He pulled the robe close to hide what he had under the fabric. Taec’s face hardened. He forcefully separated the hands, automatically exposing what was beneath the robe.

“Why are you trying to hide such marvelous work, my love?” asked Taecyeon. His voice had dropped to dangerous decibel. Khun’s heart melted and his knees grew weak instantly. He lost his will to deny. He certainly wore the supposedly woman’s lingerie (that had been customized to fit him thoroughly from torso to his manhood) for Taec’s delight, but he felt so embarrassed.

“I—I don’t know how they man—managed to order this, I—I just thought that… wearing… lingerie at wedding night is…”—Khun could not even look at Taec’s direction right now—“…is mandatory.”

“Who said that? My sister or my son’s mother?” Taec asked.

“Both,” replied Khun sheepishly.

“While it is not mandatory, it is so much more satisfactory when you do wear lingerie. Did you wear this all day long?”

“Ye—yes—you’re not disgusted, right? I should have known to wear it later, but—!”

“It’s fine, Khun, don’t panic. It is totally fine. But,”—the dangerous glint appeared in Taec’s eyes—“should I have known you have this the entire time, I would have dragged you out an hour earlier.”

“It was supposed to be a surprise!”

“I know. It’s so sexy,” said Taec, helping Khun to drop the bathrobe off his body. He was feeling little Khun through the see-through underwear, teasing. Khun bit his lip. Taec suddenly lifted Khun and laid him down on the bed gently.

“Let’s take it easy tonight. We are tired and we are going to be more tired tomorrow. Let’s make love tonight, nice and slow,” whispered Taec. Khun blushed as he nodded without hesitation. “Do you want to do something in particular tonight? Perhaps topping me?”

“No!” cried Khun almost too quickly. He instantly got embarrassed. He hugged the husband’s shoulders and kissed him. “I… I am always bottoming. I saw how hard you work to please me. I… I want to be a spoiled partner. It’s not the same if I am not having this inside of me.” Khun boldly reached for Taec’s manhood, cupping and feeling it.

“Why are we having a heteronormative relationship, Khun?” Taec asked, showering Khun’s face with butterfly kisses. Khun giggled.

“Who cares. You are a hot top. I don’t mind being your wife,” said Khun.

“I don’t mind having you as a wife, too,” muttered Taec.

“Can you lie down for now?” Khun asked, moving his hands upward, gliding on Taec’s smooth torso. Taec didn’t question or ask back. He simply complied. Khun, biting his lip, climbed on to Taec.

“I’ve always wanted to lick your jaw,” admitted Khun.

“What’s stopping you?” challenged Taec.

The beautiful man leaned forward. He traced his lean fingers on that sturdy, manly jaw, and proceeded to trail a kiss. He, then, boldly licked the jaw. It tasted clean, fresh and strong. Khun was thankful that he did this. He had always been wondering if Taec’s tanned skin actually tasted like chocolate—it didn’t, but Khun could always pour chocolate on him later and lick him clean. Khun tongued Taec’s nipple, attempting to rouse it as Taec did for him. He wondered if he managed to make his husband feel what he always felt. The electric shock spreading through the body, the shiver crawling on the skin and down the spine. He heard Taec hum, and the hand caressed his hair.

“You’re getting good at foreplay, Khunnie baby.”

“You taught me well, _Oppa_ ,” replied Khun cutely, eyes big and round looking straight at the man. He felt something big and hard grow near his thigh. He looked down, finding a big tent was created out of the towel.

“I want to spank you, Khun. You’re so naughty. You know how I feel about being called that,” warned Taec with deep, husky voice. His eyes dark and dangerous, sending shiver down Khun’s spine. “Fuck it—I’ll consume you raw!”

Nichkhun didn’t know what happened exactly. He remembered being kissed roughly by his husband. He recalled biting Taec’s lip. He also remembered that moment when Taec left a purple mark on his collarbone. He, though, did not have any recollection as to how he ended up standing before a full-length mirror and Taec pounded into him ruthlessly.

“Look forward, Khun- _ah_ ,” whispered the beast behind him right into his ear. Nichkhun tried to keep his eyes open as he complied. He felt incredibly embarrassed now, seeing himself in the mirror, bending over for the man behind. His brassiere’s right strap was loose, slid down to his arm, baring his shoulder. His see-through thong was weighed down by his hard, heavy member—now leaking milky substance. He was red from head to toe. His face looked unlike himself—he hardly recognized it. His eyes were half-lidded, pupil dilated, and glassy. His cheeks were rosy. His mouth was almost permanently shaped an O as he moaned restlessly. His curls stuck to his sweaty face. He was a total mess.

“Do you want me to touch you, Khunnie?” whispered the devil again. Khun could not see him—he had very limited visual right now.

“Yes—yes, _Oppa_! Please! Please!”

A rough hand reached out to his clothed dick, grabbing it firmly and quickly rubbing it up and down. The one inside Khun mercilessly hit the sacred spot on repeat. The movements were all linear with the hand around his own dick. He sobbed.

“Too much… I can’t… I… I can’t… don’t…” pleaded Khun with raspy voice. The hand flicked a finger on his dick’s slit. He cried and fell, causing the member inside him set loose. Khun breathed heavily.

“Are you okay, Khun?” the gentle voice asked. Nichkhun rolled to his back, finding the sharp-feature of his husband’s face so close. He held out his arms up.

“ _O—oppa…_ ” Khun called sweetly yet breathily. The gentle look on Taec’s face suddenly vanished, replaced by the totally arousing fierce look he had in store. Taec leaned down and kissed Khun, exchanging saliva without a care. Without warning, he thrust back in deeply and hard, making Khun gasped loudly.

“So evil…” grunted Taec.

He held Khun’s legs open, wide and quite far from touching his waist. It eased his pumping. Khun didn’t know what to do with his hands. He tried to grab anything on the surface he was lying on—nothing but soft rug, too short to hold. He ended up covering his mouth, but Taec opposed against it.

“Let it out.”

“But—but… ah! Don’t touch—I don’t wanna come yet!”

Taec grinned evilly. He brushed over the clothed dick once again, teasing. Nichkhun’s eyes were now filled with tears. He dragged his hands down his chest, rubbing his man-breasts as he fixed his eyes on Taec’s ferocious stare. He started to pinch his own nipples and moaned even louder. His mind was no longer working. His body only knew to respond to his need for worldly pleasure that rapidly conquered him. Taec leaned forward. He pushed Khun’s right thigh toward Khun’s chest and pounded faster and harder. Khun used this opportunity to hook the sturdy neck.

“Khun… Khunnie… my Khunnie baby…” chanted Taec.

“I’m… I’m… close, _O-Oppa!_ ”

Khun spurted his load. He shook his head violently with eyes closed and cried as he came. Taec slammed exceptionally hard after a vigorously fast pumping. He filled the hole with his load. Khun whimpered weakly as he was filled to the brim. Taec sighed and eased gradually. He pulled out his limp member and scooped Khun by the back. Khun sat on his lap and hugged him.

“So much for slow ride,” murmured Khun, chuckling weakly against Taec’s collarbone. Taec laughed, the vibration spread to Khun’s chest and made him happy, too.

“Sometimes we should,” said Taec.

“Someday.”

“When we are older.”

“Ten years from now?”

“Twenty?”

“Thirty?”

“Wanna bet?”

Although deep inside their heads, lurked dark thoughts of them not surviving through old age. After all, they lived a dangerous life together now. Well, at least they were now safe in each other’s arms, and just like their vows, they would do anything to keep each other alive.

*****

As morning arrived, the lovers woke up in each other’s embrace, warm and happy. They went back to the mansion because Khun said he wanted to pack things that he actually owned before rather than newly bought (just because Taec had so much money to spare). Since they had about four hours until their flight, they decided to open the presents first. The piles had been arranged to distinguish their origins, whether it was from acquaintances, friends, family, colleagues, or total strangers.

Khun started from family presents. Jihyen- _noona_ gave them a cookbook that contained sex-themed food to “make sure their nights always aflame”. Gou gave them a privilege card that could be used for purchasing more kinky customized costumes and outfits and toys in various stores. Junior the innocent one gave them a scrapbook of their outings together in the last four years—which actually made Khun cried a bit.

Taecyeon’s parents gave them a mahogany letter box that only the two of them could open, in case something happened and they just could not reconcile easily, they should write a letter and put it inside. They could hint the other to open the box by giving the key. This was the sweetest, most romantic and helpful present so far.

Khun’s sisters gave them a very long green and red scarf that probably was as long as Taecyeon’s body. The purpose was to share the warmth together during winter. Nichan’s present was a mousetrap and a card that read, “How dare you seducing _Hyungnim_ , you worthless little brother?!” Khun rolled his eyes. Then, he found Jay’s present along with the boys’. Chansung’s was a cat-eared headband. Minjun’s was a pair of white cute ankle boots. Wooyoung’s was a pair of loose long socks and a pair of cute gloves. Junho’s was a loli mini dress. Jay’s was a white tail—well, you know, a tail that had to be placed in specific hole.

“They… I’ll kill them,” grumbled Khun, red-faced.

“It’s okay, Khun,” said Taec, putting the headband on his own head. “I think the combination is cute. I can’t wait to see you in full costume.”

“Ah, _Hyung_!” whined Khun, smacking Taec’s chest angrily. Taec laughed. Then, Khun’s eyes caught the last remaining present from family pile. He grabbed it and asked:

“Whose gift is this?”

“Open it,” said Taec, as curious as his husband.

Khun lifted the box’s lid, revealing a pair of fine ceramic mugs. One was red with a green Khun written on both sides (one was in Thai, another was in English) and the other was green with red Taec on both sides (one was in Korean, another was in English). The design was simple, yet it matched them both. There was a card lying on them. Khun picked it up and opened the card, realizing that it was in Thai.

_Dear our beloved son,_

_We are so happy that you finally found the love of your life. We wished we could be present in your happiest moment, but we knew better than to intrude after what we did to you. All we could do was looking from afar. Seeing you happy is more than enough for us. We wish you a long and happy life with Taecyeon._

   
  
---  
  
Nichkhun felt like he had just been struck by lightning. His hand automatically crumbled the card. He jumped away from Taec, glaring at him. He grabbed the present box and swung it to throw it away. Taec ran and held him tight.

“Khun! Khun! Don’t!”

“I don’t want these! Let me go!” shouted Khun. He retaliated strongly, knocking off the headband on Taec’s head when he accidentally elbowed Taec’s face, but he hardly noticed. He felt betrayed. He felt immense sadness and guilt. He did not want to see his parents. He did not want his parents to come and see his happy day. They had no rights to even write him a congratulatory card. He dropped the box, but the mugs were safe. He bent down, cried.

“Khun- _ah…_ I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” said Taec gently.

“You promised! You promised you wouldn’t tell them!” yelled Khun, swiftly leaving Taec’s embrace. He glared and grabbed Taec by the collar. “You promised me, _Hyung_! How could you?!”

“Your sisters requested me to do this. No matter what, they’re still your parents, Khun. They still care about you,” said Taec.

Khun exploded inside and let his rage lead. He landed a punch on Taec’s cheek. When he realized it, he saw Taec’s eyes filled with concern and pity. He didn’t even waver when punched like a stoic stone statue. Khun instantly stepped back and fell on his bottom. He curled to his knees and cried. His heart hurt so much.

“Khun- _ah_ …” Taec approached him attentively, his voice gentle and warm.

“I hate them, _Hyung_ …” sobbed Khun.

“Khun,” called Taec, caressing the silky hair carefully. Khun looked up with teary eyes. His husband smiled kindly, making his chest clenched even stronger. He loved this man so much. Khun kissed him and threw himself to Taec. He whispered words of apology, but Taec didn’t seem to mind.

*****

“Would you like a cup of coffee, _Hyung_?” Nichkhun offered as soon as he heard Taec’s charismatic footsteps enter the room. Taecyeon, still in his suit, sat on his usual chair and heaved a beastly sigh. He looked tired.

“Yes, please, pretty baby,” replied Taec, “Café latte, please.”

“What did happen? I thought it was just a small-fry,” asked Khun, pouring the freshly brewed coffee into green and red mugs. He skillfully blended milk into each mug.

“It was,” Taec said, “until the Chinese came to join the party.”

“Did _Neesama_ know anything?” Khun asked, adding sugar into both mugs and stirring it until he was confident the sugar distributed evenly. Taec pulled his tie off and put off the jacket. Khun put the green mug in front of Taec with one hand and accepted the jacket and tie with his other hand.

“No—thanks, Khun—I didn’t tell her,” replied Taec, quickly tasting the coffee.

“Why didn’t you tell her? She will flip when she finds out,” protested Khun, walking away toward laundry room to put the jacket and tie, then coming back into the room again. He sat across Taec and drank from his red mug.

“You know what she would do if she knew during the incident,” said Taec.

“Well…” Khun did not have anything to argue to that statement.

“Pabbi, can you sign this form—oh, _Appa_ , you’re home.” Junior walked into the kitchen holding a paper, halted instantly as soon as he found his father sitting on his chair.

“What is it about, Taekhwannie?” Taec asked. Junior handed the form to his father and he casually picked up his dad’s mug and drank the coffee from it. No one stopped him, too. It would be different if he picked up Khun’s. He had half the property rights of the Taec mug since his name was Taec, too.

“For school trip,” replied Junior curtly.

“Hmm, you’re going out of Boston?” Nichkhun asked. He had put his chin on Taec’s top of head and joined the reading. Junior shrugged coolly.

“Not far enough.”

“Have you told your mama yet?” Taec questioned casually, pulling out his pen from the breast pocket to sign it. Junior put down the mug on the table and waited for his dad to finish signing the form.

“I texted her, but I think Mama’s in predicament. She didn’t text back.”

“I see,” Taec sighed. He handed the form back to his son. “I will check on her immediately. If you hear anything from her before you hear from me, tell me, okay?”

“Okay,” said Junior, nodded. “I’m going to the library with Chansung- _hyung_.”

“Don’t stay up too late, Taekhwannie, tomorrow’s P.E.,” said Khun.

“Yeah, see you two later.”

Junior waved his hand and walked out of the room. Taec and Khun waved back at him and just watched him go. He had grown up so fast; the adults could only sigh, admiring how cool he had grown into now. Taec, out of the blue, pulled Khun’s waist and made him sit on his lap. Khun almost spilled the remaining of his coffee—well, he did, just a splash.

“What are you doing, _Hyung_?” protested Khun.

“Put down the coffee, I want to drink some _Khunfee_.”

“Shut up! It’s a terrible pun and it’s embarrassing!”

Nichkhun was still blushing hard despite his complaint. He still gave in, saved both mugs from the danger of being pushed and scattered to pieces on the floor, and provided Taec with the _Khunfee_ that he was craving for. Well, it was not like Khun wanted to deny the request. Taec would go out to take care of more problems after this and Khun would be lonely again for some more hours. It wasn’t like Khun didn’t need a _Taecoffee_ , too. He needed it, direly, since he was fifteen.


End file.
